A couple was arrested after attempting to use a faux fire engine to gain access to the Palisades evacuation zone. Shockingly, the pair had altered their fire truck to resemble an official emergency vehicle. However, something looked a bit off about the fire-fighting rig.
Criminals with an arson history tried to enter a fire evacuation zone with a fire truck from the ‘Roaring River Fire Department’
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department says they apprehended a man and a woman trying to access the Palisades fire evacuation zone. However, the malicious duo didn’t try to drive in with a garden-variety pickup truck or SUV. No, these two people attempted to enter the evacuation zone with a fire truck.
To ensure that Californians stay out of the path of a series of fast-moving fires, LA County established evacuation zones. In the Palisades area, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) issued orders for people to “evacuate now,” with some areas “open to residents only.” Of course, there’s an exception for emergency vehicles like fire trucks and engines.
However, authorities noticed something off about a fire apparatus attempting to access the Palisades fire evacuation area. The aging fire engine was emblazoned with the words “Roaring River Fire.” When police questioned the truck’s occupants, the couple claimed they were a part of the “Roaring River Fire Department” from Oregon.
Now, dear reader, here’s the issue with that. There is no legitimate Roaring River Fire Department in Oregon. The married duo was driving around in a faux fire engine. Worse yet, they had turnout gear, helmets, and radios. These two were serious about their impersonations.
Moreover, the two admitted that they had illegally entered the evacuation area twice before getting caught. As unsettling as it sounds, one of the violators has a history of arson in Oregon. However, their motives behind entering the evacuation zone aren’t clear.
Worse yet, these two aren’t the first firefighter impersonators to access the evacuation zones. According to ABC News, police arrested an impersonator in fire department turnout gear. The man was reportedly burglarizing a Malibu home in the gear and “looked like a firefighter.” Unfortunately, some people won’t hesitate to capitalize on tragedy.
So, how do two people with no fire department affiliation get their hands on a fire truck? Like some surplus government and military equipment, citizens can purchase decommissioned emergency vehicles at auction. However, it’s never legal to impersonate a first responder with a decommissioned police car, fire truck, or ambulance.
