The fire chief of the Buchanan Volunteer Fire Department is in disbelief that someone would break into the department's building and cause nearly $40,000 worth of damage. "Friday morning around 8 a.m. I received a couple of phone calls from different people passing by that our bay door was open," said Chief Mark Hutson.
As Hutson toured the building, he noticed equipment like binoculars and lights scattered on trucks. Some of their flash lights worth $150 each and dive lights were also missing. Thieves also took off with a fire truck surveillance camera they only had about six months. The department has been saving to get more. "If we have the camera, we can go out there and critique each other," explains Captain Mike Butler.
The most expensive loss is a busted system that supplies air for firefighters' tanks. It's vital equipment that can save their lives while trying to save people and property. "Normally it charges up to about 3,000 to 4,000 PSI (pounds per square inch) and we can't get 20 pounds out of it now," explains Hutson. "We got 20 people on our fire department, every one of them has worked hard for every penny that we've gotten."
The fire department gets most of its money through fundraising events and donations, the rest comes from a small tax. The department is waiting to hear back on what insurance will cover. Family members have set up a gofundme page for the department.
Anyone with information on the burglary is asked to contact the Llano County Sheriff's Office at 325-247-5050. You can report information anonymously to Hill Country Crime Stoppers by calling 1-866-756-8477 or visiting their website. You could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000. Neely Roofing is offering an additional $1,000 reward until March 1, 2017.