Mt. Baldy Firefighters’ Equipment Is Stolen

Volunteer firefighters in Mt. Baldy were scrambling Tuesday to replace about $43,000 worth of rescue equipment and firefighting tools stolen from their station over the weekend.

The stolen items included a generator, ropes for rescuing stranded hikers, two hydraulic devices for prying open vehicles, a pump for fighting fires with swimming pool water, and tools to clear dry vegetation and build fire breaks.

The station, staffed by about 20 volunteer firefighters, performed about 20 rescues in 2004 and responded to about 70 traffic accidents in and around the popular ski resort community in the San Bernardino National Forest, north of Rancho Cucamonga.

The thieves struck at a time when the volunteers were preparing to perform more rescues because of strong storms hitting the snow-covered mountains. Eight hikers plunged to their deaths or froze to death on icy Southern California slopes in the first six weeks of 2004, including several who had set out on New Year’s Day hikes.

San Bernardino County supervisors on Tuesday approved an emergency allocation of $43,000 to replace the stolen equipment.

In the meantime, fire officials say they will borrow equipment from nearby fire stations and hope it will be enough for any rescues during the impending storms.

Fire officials expressed anger over the crime, noting that the thieves took the most expensive equipment and left behind less valuable tools, such as old walkie-talkies.

Mt. Baldy residents and county officials have combined resources to offer a $10,000 reward for information leading to the culprits.

Fire officials believe the break-in was done early New Year’s Day, by more than one person.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Dennis Shaffer, supervisor of search and rescue operations in Mt. Baldy, said the county donation was urgently needed.

“That station is the first responder for those people in that area,” he said. “We needed that stuff back up there quick.”

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Times staff writer Lance Pugmire contributed to this report.