PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — A volunteer-led search and rescue team in Pierce County is missing vital equipment after being burglarized.
Monday morning, Chase Woolley, training director for Pierce County Explorer Search and Rescue found damage thieves left behind.
Woolley said over the weekend someone broke the locks, and stole cords, cables and rescue ropes from their mobile operations vehicles. One of the vehicles is no longer waterproof, and they can’t even get into the driver-side door of the other.
Woolley said whoever’s responsible also siphoned gas out of their transport van and destroyed a trailer. Luckily, they weren’t able to get to major equipment like radios and GPS but it’s still a setback.
“The biggest hit I think will be the generator cables, the stuff that actually powers the rig. We can't use the computer, tv, or tracking equipment without our generators running,” Woolley said.
The team is volunteer-led and 100% reliant on donations. Money for repairs will come from funds set aside to buy new radios and rigs.
“It’s unfortunate. It's a sad reality of the times we're in right now,” Woolley said.
The search and rescue team has been on thousands of missions since it started in 1958.
The crew helps the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department respond to missing hikers, kids, dementia patients, and even evidence searches.
Woolley has been a part of the unit for 14 years and said this has never happened.
“We’ve been talking about trying to get a headquarters station. A place to park the vehicles inside, do our training and have our meetings and it solidifies that we need to do that sooner rather than later,” Woolley said.
Despite the break-in, the team will be able to respond to calls.
This burglary comes as people are expected to hit the outdoors with warm weather on the way and the team gears up for its busy season.
“People will go up in the mountains where there's still snow on the ground and they won't be prepared for that and go in shorts, tee shirts and running shoes and encounter knee-deep snow,” said Woolley.
If you’d like to help or learn how to volunteer click here.