OXON HILL, Md. — A fire chief and fire union president have spoken out after safety equipment belonging to firefighters and paramedics at a fire station in Maryland was damaged.
WJLA.com reported several incidents of vandalism have damaged equipment at the Glassmanor-Oxon Hill Firehouse over the span of four months.
The problems started in November, when firefighters returned from a call and discovered a marijuana haze in the station. Soon after, firefighters’ cars were stolen from the parking lot and their gear at the station was intentionally burned on several occasions.
The damage to the protective equipment was so severe it had to be thrown away.
“Our turnout gear is our lifeline,” said Andrew Pantelis, the firefighter’s union president. “The frequency and severity of the escalation is very alarming to our members and we feel that it’s an unsafe working condition for our members to continue operating in that environment.”
Prince George’s County Fire Chief Marc Bashoor released a video in response to the attacks at the station.
“However unfathomable it may be, it has occurred multiple times and I assure you it will not be tolerated,” Bashoor said.
Both the police and fire department are investigating.