East Providence teen finds passion for firefighting through East Providence Fire Station 3

Do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up? Did you want to be a doctor, an astronaut, or even someday be the President of the United States?

For many of us, there was a moment in our childhood that pushed us toward our future career paths, helping to mold and shape us into who we are and what we do today and here in East Providence we might just be watching that play out in real-time for 14-year-old Adrian Burgo.

It all started for Adrian in Kindergarten when he and his classmates spent the day at the Pawtucket Fire Department as part of a field trip. After getting off the bus, his eyes widened and lit up as he looked up to the sky. It was his first time seeing a tower ladder in person and at that moment, he says he fell in love with it all. But, Adrian says it wasn’t until a few years later that he took action on that passion.

After moving to East Providence with his parents when he turned 10, he says he vividly remembers being in the car with his parents when all of a sudden, they drove past Fire Station #3 in Rumford. While looking out the backseat window Adrian recalls seeing the ladder truck. Like in Pawtucket, the truck hoisted to the sky and in that moment the memories and nostalgia came flooding back.

From that day, Adrian says he would from time to time ride his bike to Fire Station #3 along with other stations throughout the City of East Providence. Sometimes he says he would just ride by, other times he’d take a tour inside. But, Adrian says some of the most impactful and memorable experiences for him have been talking with the brave men and women of the East Providence Fire Department and hearing about their day-to-day.

“I was just moved by all of the first-hand accounts, it felt like being a part of the station,” Adrian said.
One of those brave men is firefighter Jeff Sinku or as Adrian and others call him “Q”.

Sinku recalls meeting Adrian for the first time, saying it was about 2 years ago that Adrian first popped into Station #3, ringing the doorbell one Sunday afternoon.

“Adrian was someone who we were able to make the tour more in-depth for because he knows the tools. He’s aware of what we do for a living. There were a lot of questions, but we went through every compartment of every truck,” Sinku recalled. “He knew all about all of the apparatuses.”

Sinku says it was about a year after that tour before Adrian returned. “I remember asking him if he’d come to see the trucks again, but he said, ‘no I came to see you.”

Adrian would become a regular to not just Station #3, but stations across East Providence bringing his friends to Rumford to play basketball against some of the fire crews during their downtime, or just listening to stories about life on the job.
“It’s a different perspective when you’re that young, and when a kid has an appreciation like that for what we do,” Sinku said. “It’s awesome.”

It was then that Adrian and his dad came up with the idea for a father-son project. For a week the two worked diligently on an old rusted bicycle together, bringing it back to life with the new name “East Providence Bike 3,” dawning a sleek fire truck red color with a yellow and white stripe bearing its name in honor of his favorite fire station, flashing red LED lights attached to the handlebars.

“I feel confident with it, it’s a one-of-kind. It is not every day you see a bike that looks like a fire engine,” Adrian said. “I think it would be cool if my friends got together and we each had a bike for all four of the stations here,” Adrian added.

When asked about what made him want to pursue a potential future in firefighting Adrian responded, “They are risking their lives to save somebody they do not even know, the average Joe wouldn’t do that, they are heroes.”

When firefighter Sinku was asked about the potential prospects of Adrian pursuing a career in fire work his response,
“In 17 plus years I’ve never had an experience like this, I’ve given what feels like a million tours but it’s special helping someone pursue their dream,” Sinku said. “I think it speaks for the profession, how well Adrian’s been treated and perceived. The passion he has for fire work is no doubt pure, he’s into it, he’s inquisitive, he’s bright and whatever he decides to do he will be great.”