Posted on 01/17/2024 8:14:57 PM PST by algore
What was a routine food run for the firefighters of Pierce County Fire District 13 Monday turned into a troubling crime when their firetruck was robbed.
While inside a Tacoma grocery store, customers alerted the crew a group of people pulled alongside the truck in a U-Haul and ransacked it.
“I was in disbelief for a second,” firefighter Alandra Swords said. “It took me a minute to comprehend what they were saying, and then I immediately raced out of the store.”
Expensive, lifesaving equipment was stolen, the crew reported.
“They got away with all of our saws – our chainsaw, our K-12 cutting tool, and our Sawzall,” Lt. Dylan Tapia said. “They got away with our medical equipment, our airway bag. They got away with an entire toolbox.”
The stolen equipment is valued at about $15,000 and will take at least two weeks to replace. But, more importantly, the loss of equipment hampers their ability to do their jobs and save lives.
“We’re still going to do what we have to do. It’s a question of whether we can do it safely,” Tapia said. “With our vehicle stabilization stuff, if a car is on its side, how are we supposed to keep that from rolling onto our firefighters? How are we supposed to continue doing CPR on somebody if we don’t have an AED? There’s a lot of stuff we can still do; unfortunately, we’re not going to be as effective until we get all of these supplies back.”
Why the truck was unlocked
Tapia explained the truck was unlocked because it is how the firefighters need to conduct their business during an emergency where every second matters.
“We can’t lock any of the doors on the apparatus,” Tapia said. “If I need tools, I need them now. I can’t be fumbling around keys trying to find stuff. I need those tools now. That’s why these compartments are never locked.”
In the meantime, firefighters are taking from one truck to equip another. Tapia told KIRO 7 he hopes the thieves are caught and the equipment comes back as it will take time to dip into station funds to buy all new equipment that meets appropriate standards to help the community.
The Tacoma Police Department is handling the investigation. So far, they don’t have any suspects. Anyone with information should call 911
BLM? Antifa?
It should be legal to shoot these people on the spot.
And we all know who they are.
L
Light a fire.
The thieves will come running to use their new equipment.
Or not.
It would be fitting if the thieves suddenly needed the services of the the things they stole.....................
The sad part is that it only will get worse, as it has all the signs of a country falling apart with morality circling the drain.
I hope the robbers’ homes catch on fire soon, and burn completely. with them in it
Karma.
no locks... right???
As long as each one took less than $900 worth, it’s no harm no foul, right ?
They don’t really care, after all everything will be replaced by the magical taxpayer fairy. Who pays for everything they have. Which is why they don’t bother to lock their doors.
If only they would elect Democrats in Tacoma, this sort of crime wouldn’t happen.
/s
Is it really robbery or is it reparations? Let’s not be too judgmental.
Sounds more like they traditionally don’t lock it; however, they should probably rethink that absurdity, because now they don’t have the equipment, which is far worse than having to take a moment to unlock locks. It’s going to cost the taxpayers a lot of money for their wish for convenience, understandable as it is.
An alternate plan is to leave the truck guarded. It’s not rocket science.
just lazy...
Yep, it might be.
I don’t see how they could open a compartment on a moment’s notice when the whole crew is in a grocery store on a “food run.”
complacency kills...
Governor Jaydolph Dimslee and attorney general little Bobbie Ferguson have been busy destroying Washington state for years. Their malfeasance is finally paying off . Used to be a nice state until they got mail-in voting. Now it’s gone.
Yes. And the FD should have to show where it is written in the operating procedures where leaving the equipment unlocked on a non-emergency food run is required.
I’m legally a resident of WA state. Lived and worked there for over 20 years. Tacoma was always a shiite hole even before the present leaders, Seattle idiots, really screwed the state up.
I spend most my time in Hawaii these days.
I have residences in both states.
Politically Hawaii is more screwed up, but has way less
crime due to Demographics, if you know what I mean.
Pierce County, not nearly as liberal as King County (Seattle), but still majority Democrat.
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