Hopkins Hill Fire District Takes 13th Plunge for Charity

Twenty-four spirited individuals representing the Hopkins Hill Fire District, including firefighters, friends and family members, along with a 30-member cheering squad, were among the masses that spent their New Year's Day charging into near-freezing water at Roger Wheeler State Beach for the 38th Annual Penguin Plunge in Narragansett.

This was the department's thirteenth year participating in the plunge that raises money for Rhode Island Special Olympics. This year, Hopkins Hill had set out to beat 2013's fundraising total of $13,750 - and beat it they did, raising nearly $17,000 for the cause and bringing their 13-year total to approximately $112,000.

As part of their annual tradition, the plungers once again met at Chief Frank Brown's home before the event, joined by their 25-foot tall inflatable penguin - a trademark that makes the group pretty easy to find despite the large crowd.

Back in 2010, Chief Brown explained that he decided to get the department involved in a charitable organization after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

"We wear our fire helmets when we plunge not to show that we are firefighters but to pay remembrance and honor for the 343 firefighters that died on 9/11," he said.