By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Intruders carried off thousands of dollars of equipment from the Pe Ell fire station including the Jaws of Life, bolt cutters, a fire axe, various saws and even breathing apparatus’.
The break-in happened sometime during the week, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
A deputy was called about 7:30 p.m. yesterday to take a report from the chief of Lewis County Fire District 11 – an all-volunteer fire department. The building sits on state Route 6 just outside the city limits.
Among the items missing were chain saws, generators, a work light and extension cords.
They even took the keys from the rescue truck, and a “jump bag” containing medical supplies, Fire Chief Michael Krafczyk said today.
Krafczyk said it happened sometime since Saturday. It was discovered yesterday evening when firefighters arrived for their routine drill. They spent the night taking inventory instead, he said.
“We were pretty decimated,” he said.
The burglars went through and picked items off the fire engines and other vehicles, unloading virtually all the tools from the truck they use to respond to car wrecks including the Jaws and spreaders, according to Krafczyk.
“The rescue rig is tagged out of service,” he said. “We can’t use it.”
An automatic mutual response has been put into place with the Boistfort fire district if they should have any calls for vehicle collisions, he said.
He estimates the extrication equipment – which they share with the Dryad area fire district – will cost $7000 to $10,000 to replace.
Krafczyk said it appears the burglars got in by either breaking a window or sliding one open and then left with enough to easily fill the back of a truck.
The loss is estimated at more than $18,000.
Sheriff’s Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown is asking anyone with information about the burglary to immediately call the sheriff’s office, 911 or Lewis County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-748-6422.
“Obviously we’re anxious to get (this) equipment back as public safety depends on it to assist citizens in the community,” Brown said.
The thefts follow a similar incident a little more than two weeks ago at a fire station in Cowlitz County, reported on yesterday by the The (Longview) Daily News.
Several weeks ago, an un-staffed station south of Rochester was burglarized leaving the West Regional Thurston Fire Authority having to replace a “jump bag” and an automatic defibrillator. Fire Chief Robert Scott said he’d heard of a similar theft from a Yelm-area station recently as well.
And earlier this month, the Lewis County Search and Rescue group discovered a break-in out in Packwood in which they lost nearly all their portable radios as well as a generator and outdoor lights. Their generator was recovered and one arrest made.
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