Thieves broke into a storage trailer belonging to the South Country Fire Department and stole several tools.
The Regional District of East Kootenay is asking the public to be on the lookout for the missing items. The items include a marked Husqvarna Chainsaw, rechargeable Dewalt impact driver and drill, two toolboxes full of tools, two 20 litre gas cans and industrial bolt cutters.
All of the items were engraved with the letters “EVSC” and some had blue paint on them.
The items were stolen from the volunteer fire department’s Type 2 Structural Protection Units (SPUs).
“These SPUs protect people’s homes in the event of wildfire,” said Elk Valley & South Country Rural Fire & Rescue Services Chief Dave Boreen. “Not only have thieves stolen from a volunteer fire department, they’ve taken tools that could affect our ability to protect people’s properties in an emergency. It’s unfathomable.”
Type 2 SPUs are trailers equipt with specialized sprinklers, hoses and other equipment that allows structure protection specialists to set up sprinklers on and around structures to help reduce the potential for damage during a wildfire. The RDEK said its SPUs have been used throughout the region over the past five years, including the Moyie, St. Mary Lake, Doctor Creek and Nipika areas.
The theft was discovered Wednesday afternoon and RCMP are investigating the incident.
Anyone with information about the theft is asked to contact the Elk Valley RCMP.
