By EMS1 Staff
SAN ANTONIO — A fire department is looking into different anti-theft devices after two ambulances were stolen within a six-month period.
KENS5 reported that the San Antonio Fire Department is considering two anti-theft devices to protect their 43 ambulances.
“It looks like maybe we should lock something up but it’s very difficult when you’re in and out [of the ambulance],” Chief Charles Hood said.
The most recent theft occurred when patient Alfred Trevino jumped into the cab of the ambulance he was in and drove away, according to a report.
“The crew that was working on that run, of course they feel bad. The unit was taken and someone got hurt from it,” Hood said.
Police said Trevino hit four vehicles as he was chased, and the ambulance rolled into a police cruiser when Trevino was being arrested.
The ambulance sustained $16,000 in damage, according to Hood.
“The first thing that we want to say is that we’re very fortunate that no one was seriously injured in this,” he said. “This could have been a tragedy.”
The department is deciding between a device that requires EMS providers to push a button and remove the ambulance key, and another that requires responders to enter a code to get the unit out of park.
Hood said when the department gets a new fleet, the rigs will all be equipped with an anti-theft system.
“There’s that human nature involved sometimes that the person you are taking care of can seem like the nicest person in the world, and all of sudden something snaps in them,” Hood said. “That’s the problem.”