Volunteer firefighter's truck stolen.

[crash_cart]

Yep, it's true. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that people would do this, but still, disappointing.<_<

Inside the pickup truck were Tonnies' firefighting helmet, jacket, boots, duffle bag, oxygen tank, mask, radio and automated external defibrillator. All told, the fire department lost more than $8,000 of equipment, he estimates, plus the vehicle's value.

Tonnies said the equipment is more important to him because it belongs to the community.

 

[Flight-LP]

I'm not surprised at all. Take a whackermobile, park it in an urban environment with unsecured equipment inside, and have decals and lights all over that just scream "rob me", voila there you have it. The truck is gone, probably stripped and the equipment sold. Easy target, easy money..........

It is humerous though that they want you to call 911 should you find the "community's property". Great idea, lets tie up the 911 line...........How about not expose the department to this liability in the first place. Leave your gear at home, its not like he could leave to respond to anything anyways..........................

 

[certguy]

Don't you just love it !

It really burns me when people steal equipment ment to protect the community . Recently our CERT coordinator had his truck broken into and lost his GPS , medical aid gear , go pack , and was within seconds of losing his ham radio and scanner when somebody apparently interrupted the theft . Years ago , I used to teach a kid's karate program in our valley and had the youth center we stored our equipment in broken into . We lost a lot of equipment myself , my students , and thier parents worked hard to earn the money for . The worst case I've heard of though , was when I was working in San Diego . A medic crew was on scene of a call and had cancelled the engine company in a bad part of town , when they came out of the house with pt. on the gurney , thier rig was gone . It was found a couple days later stripped out and burned in a field in Tijuana . OOPS !!!!!

CERTGUY

 

[Airwaygoddess]

The bad part is that these are the type of patients that are the most obnoxious and the loudest and yet....we can still run that call because we are professionals! B) " Because of the stupidity of others we stay gainfully employed!" My old paramedic superviser MVM B)

 

[BossyCow]

So, let me get this straight..... Thieves will steal from anyone? They don't have some sort of moral code that determines what is or isn't an appropriate theft?

My husband had his truck broken into in the fire station parking lot, while he was on shift and had the stereo taken. Any preconcieved notions I had about honor among thieves died that day.

 

[Ridryder911]

Tonnies said the public may recognize his truck if they see an assistant fire chief license plate holder on a royal blue Dodge quad-cab. It has red light on the roof. The license plate reads "Yankee 1." Maybe it should read Whacker 1

Yep, professionalism at its best. Meanwhile, let's donate some more money to replace the equipment.

Anyone, wants to know why EMS does not get paid respectable money, nor gets the respect from the peers, and public, just read the article.

R/r 911

 

[Flight-LP]

It really burns me when people steal equipment ment to protect the community . Recently our CERT coordinator had his truck broken into and lost his GPS , medical aid gear , go pack , and was within seconds of losing his ham radio and scanner when somebody apparently interrupted the theft . Years ago , I used to teach a kid's karate program in our valley and had the youth center we stored our equipment in broken into . We lost a lot of equipment myself , my students , and thier parents worked hard to earn the money for . The worst case I've heard of though , was when I was working in San Diego . A medic crew was on scene of a call and had cancelled the engine company in a bad part of town , when they came out of the house with pt. on the gurney , thier rig was gone . It was found a couple days later stripped out and burned in a field in Tijuana . OOPS !!!!!

CERTGUY

Lessons learned.......

1. Keep all of your whacker equipment in a SECURE place. That does not mean in a vehicle. If you are at work, you don't need your equipment, leave it locked up at home. If your house is broken into, then your homowners insurance will pick up the tab.

2. Lock your damn ambulance! Regardless of where you are at or what you are doing. If your truck is outside of your line of site, then it should be locked, period.

The crew that lost their truck should be held liable just like our hero asst. fire chief who failed to secure his community funded equipment.

Guaranteed they won't do it again.........

 

[certguy]

You're so right !!!!!!

There is no honor among thieves . My heart sunk when our martial arts equipment was stolen . I was doing this as a volunteer service to our community to help kids who mostly couldn't afford to pay for lessons . Whether it's stealing from kid's programs or emergency services equipment , they're both all time lows .

CERTGUY

 

[Emtgirl21]

My back windsheild was shot out at my ambulance station last saturday night. The places you think your safe.