A thief stole the ‘Jaws of Life’ from firefighters right next to their fire truck
Firefighters keep a multitude of tools on their apparatuses. From traditional firefighting equipment to medical supplies and extrication gear, you’ll likely find it on a fire engine, truck, quint, or rescue truck. However, it makes firefighters’ task to ensure public safety that much more difficult when bad actors steal essential equipment. Such was the case for Oakland firefighters who discovered that a thief had stolen the “Jaws of Life” hydraulic rescue tool from an emergency scene, mere feet from their fire truck.
A thief stole the famed ‘Jaws of Life’ from firefighters at an emergency scene, not far from their fire truck
Oakland, California is a busy place. In addition to sharing the Bay Area with San Francisco, Oakland is home to nearly 500,000 of its residents. Consequently, the fire department is constantly responding to calls for assistance around the city. Well, boredom certainly wasn’t in the mix when they got the call to respond to a young person stuck in a swing at a West Oakland park.
Yes, you read that right. Charles Welch told KTVU that his granddaughter had squeezed into a swing and promptly got stuck. “She got stuck in it, as a matter of fact, she was too large to be in it anyway,” Welch told KTVU. “First they tried to cut it, but it was too tight, the girl was screaming, she ‘wasn’t feeling right’. Then they had to take the whole swing down.” Firefighters on the scene decided to employ the “Jaws of Life” as part of their efforts.
Now, the name sounds like something you’d hear in a board game or a work of fiction. However, they’re an essential piece of rescue equipment for emergencies like motor vehicle accidents (MVAs). Commonly referred to as a “hydraulic rescue tool,” they use powerful hydraulic systems to cut, spread, and otherwise reshape barriers. Incidentally, the Jaws of Life are invaluable for extricating trapped motorists. Or in this case, trapped playground-goers.
Unfortunately, some opportunist saw the Jaws of Life after a firefighter set the unit down at the rescue scene. After the rescue, firefighters took stock of their equipment. Tragically, they discovered someone had stolen their hydraulic rescue tool, not far from the firefighters or their fire truck. No easy feat, either; the hydraulic rescue tools I used as a firefighter were heavy. Some weighed as much as 40 or more pounds.
The Los Angeles Times urges anyone with information regarding the tool’s location to contact the Criminal Investigations Division of the Oakland Police Department at (510) 238-3728. After all, these tools are vital and expensive to replace.
