A 28-year-old man claiming he needed help getting gasoline allegedly stole a fire vehicle from Santa Fe (NM) firefighters who tried to help him, according to a report published by the Santa Fe New Mexican.

The newspaper reported the Santa Fe man asked firefighters who were helping another motorist for a ride to a gas station. After arriving at the gas station, Julio Avila allegedly jumped into another Chevrolet Colorado fire vehicle and sped away with firefighters trying to stop him. No firefighters were hurt in the incident, the newspaper reported.

Santa Fe County deputies stopped the suspect on Interstate 25 and Avila was told to exit the vehicle and was quickly arrested, the newspaper reported.

Methamphetamine was found on him along with another small bag of the drug in his backpack in back of the Dodge car he allegedly was originally driving when he encountered the firefighters, the newspaper reported.

The suspect was booked into Santa Fe County Jail on charges of robbery, two counts of aggravated battery, driving while intoxicated, possession of a controlled substance and reckless driving, the newspaper reported, adding that he told police he had consumed some of the meth before the incident.  

The Placer County (CA) Sheriff’s Office hauled a truck—which could quite possibly be a game-changer for the fire industry—to the Dixie Fire to aid first responders, reports kcra.com.

The apparatus will serve as a central hub, connecting personnel on the ground. Officials say the mobile command vehicle can convert aerial surveillance to GPS signals, which would allow crews to know if the fire is growing and, if so, in what direction.

In addition, the GPS can help crews determine the best time to issue evacuation orders.

One of Enid (OK) Fire Department’s (EFD) two new apparatus officially went into service last week, reports enidnews.com. To celebrate, Mayor George Pankonin and his wife, Melody, took a ride in the pumper as it was driven from Station 1 to its new home at Station 3.

In early July, EFD received the two new Pierce pumpers, which the department spent a few months designing. They cost $638,000 each.

The other apparatus will remain at Station 1, and the hope is that both pumpers will provide about 25 to 30 years of service for the community.