I have had the distinct privilege and honor of serving you as a volunteer firefighter and EMT for nearly 10 years with North Whidbey Fire and Rescue. I have served at the Heller Road, Taylor Road and Troxell Road stations during this time frame, and always in that time it was a joy to serve you, and to see you at our various community functions such as the pancake breakfasts, salmon barbecue, parades, etc.

I would have never dreamed that any member of the community would hold ill-will toward their firefighters. I would have never dreamed that in this area that I love would there be someone so selfish, so evil as to actually steal something from me, something from my family, something from the brothers and sisters that I serve alongside.

Very recently, a large fixed generator was stolen from us at the Troxell Road Fire Station.

That someone would abscond with a piece of equipment that allows us to operate a fire station during a power outage is appalling. During a power outage that generator is used to recharge our flashlights, radios, and to keep our vehicle batteries charged, and enables us to open our apparatus bay doors. All of this so that we can safely and swiftly respond to the needs of our community in an emergency, in any weather, and at any time of the day.

A generator does not simply walk off and hide in the bushes. This was a deliberate and despicable act of one or more cowards. Stealing from those neighbors of yours who are willing to lay down their life to protect you and your property ought to be a capital offense. The responsible party had to have used a vehicle or trailer with a hoist to lift this generator as it was not a portable one, was secured to a concrete pad out back of the fire station and generally hidden from plain sight. The responsible party cut through the cables and pipes that were connected to the generator. Again, this was a deliberate, cowardly act.

How the responsible party stole this generator, though, is not the issue. Who and where they are is, and where the generator that the law abiding, tax-paying citizens of this community provided to us in the fire department are the issues.

I beg of you, the community that I serve and protect, on behalf of my brothers and sisters in the emergency services, to keep an eye out for our generator. Turn in those who stole it to the Island County Sheriff’s Office.

Please, my neighbors and friends, do not tolerate the actions of a person or persons who would put you at risk in an emergency. Help us in the fire department help you. Help us get our generator back, and help us bring the person or persons who stole it to justice.

Jonathan B.K. Pollock

Firefighter/EMT-B

North Whidbey Fire and Rescue