A statement from Everett (WA) Fire Chief Dave DeMarco, which appeared on the department’s Facebook page.
The sight and sound of a fire engine in a community only means one thing: Help is coming. For the first time in 133 years, that was not true last week. The Fire Chief has provided the community with a detailed description of what happened, why, and what is being done to ensure that fire engines will always remain a symbol of neighbors helping neighbors in Everett.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 23, 2025
Mayor Franklin, Council, and our Everett Community,
Our city experienced a very serious event in which an unauthorized individual entered an idling fire engine, managed to put it in gear and then drove it away. First, we are incredibly relieved that there were no injuries to our residents, firefighters or police officers. However, there was significant damage to both private property and city equipment. The information below is intended to help the community understand this crime, our practices, and what can be done to prevent this from happening again in the future.
WHAT HAPPENED?
At approximately 10 p.m. on Friday, July 18th, Everett Fire Engine #1 and Paramedic Unit #1 were dispatched to a medical emergency at 2917 Hoyt. They arrived five minutes later and proceeded to the 5th floor of the building to find the affected patient. Our paramedics and EMTs worked with that patient until the issue was resolved. They spent approximately 60 minutes with the patient.
Once finished with the medical patient, they returned to the street to find their engine missing and the wheel chock smashed flat. At this same moment, Snohomish County 911 began to receive calls regarding a fire engine involved in a crash, and dispatchers began asking via radio if Engine 1 was involved; the Engine 1 crew quickly realized the fire engine had been stolen.
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
Engine 1 had parked blocking Hoyt Avenue’s northbound lane of travel. The fire engine was placed in neutral, the parking brakes were applied, the emergency lights were left on, and the rear drive wheels were “chocked” (blocked with an immobilization device designed to prevent rolling) with a device rated to 70,000 pound fail weight. Engine 1, when fully loaded with equipment and water, weighs approximately 35,000 pounds.
Our fire engines are equipped with a keyless ignition system, which requires a specific sequence of switches and buttons to start and then place in gear—making it difficult for unauthorized individuals to operate. These are commercial vehicles built for very heavy loads and high-demand circumstances at all hours and in all weather conditions. They do not have ignition keys, nor do they operate like personal passenger vehicles.
The criminal had to defeat several steps to engage the drivetrain, release the brakes, and overcome the physical wheel chock.
WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?
We may never understand the criminal intent of the perpetrator.
Emergency vehicles are left idling for a variety of reasons. We prioritize rapid responses to emergencies, as timing is critical in medical and fire situations. Fire engines and ambulances are often left idling to power essential equipment and communication devices, enabling us to react immediately to the incident at hand and respond promptly to any further emergencies. They also idle to maintain temperatures and keep onboard batteries charged. Without idling, onboard batteries begin to drain, and eventually, the intelligent load manager will begin turning off the emergency lights, leaving the fire engine dark in the roadway. We park our vehicles strategically to protect the scene, our patients, and our emergency personnel, with emergency lights activated to alert and redirect approac