Fire Chief Dave DeMarco speaking with Councilmember Judy Tuohy.
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?
Everett Fire Engine 1
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 approaching motorists, as was done in this incident.
This is common practice across the fire service and is allowed by existing Everett Fire Department policies. It is also common practice in all our neighboring jurisdictions, across the state and around the country.
Some large urban departments, including Seattle, staff their suppression units with an additional firefighter to allow one to remain behind with the apparatus. No department in Snohomish County staffs this way or has this practice, and all Everett firefighters assigned to this incident were needed to attend to the medical patient.
WHAT IS BEING DONE?
We have implemented a series of temporary steps to better protect our fleet from criminal actions.
We are also actively researching possible engineered solutions to apply to our fleet to make permanent changes to vehicle security. It is important for the community to know that adding additional features to these already complex vehicles may add security, but may also add additional maintenance difficulties and potential points of failure for emergency response. Any changes we propose will have to be carefully considered.
We have reached out to the community members affected by this criminal act. I have personally attempted to visit all the registered owners of the private vehicles damaged, and left letters with contact information for those we could not reach. For those registered owners with addresses outside the city, we are sending this same information by mail.
WHAT IS OUR FLEET CAPABILITY NOW?
With one engine significantly damaged and not available for use, we immediately placed a reserve engine in service to replace it. This reduces our available reserve fleet from five to four fire engines but does not significantly affect our ability to protect the community.
It is purely coincidental, but the Mayor and Council approved the replacement of two aging fire engines three years ago, knowing the years-long lead time for replacement fire apparatus. Due to that order, we are expecting two new fire engines in Everett in approximately two weeks and had planned to surplus our two oldest fire engines. The availability of these two new engines means we will not experience any shortfall in apparatus as we await repair decisions about the damaged engine.
To the Mayor and Council’s credit, they have also authorized the replacement of three more engines, with early orders already placed and delivery expected in 2028.
THE EVERETT FIRE DEPARTMENT
Everett Fire has served this community faithfully since 1892. From early horse-drawn steam engines to today’s modern fire apparatus, we have experienced the gamut of fleet issues and managed them well.
We routinely attempt to project needs for the coming five years and anticipate problems before they arise. Our current department manages over 27,000 requests for emergency services annually, without incident or fanfare.
Everett’s firefighters are among the best in the business and work tirelessly to ensure the community is well protected with the right equipment and training. This criminal act is a serious event we were not expecting or prepared for. The department will adapt and change as a result, but we cannot undo the damage that has been done.
A fire engine is a symbol of what is best about our shared community. It represents neighbors helping neighbors, and seeing it abused in this way is incredibly difficult for all of us. For this senseless act, I must express my most sincere apologies to the community. We are still here for you, and we are grateful for the outpouring of support you have offered us.
Thank you,
Dave DeMarco, Everett Fire Chief
Common Questions About the Stolen Fire Truck:
What is the year, make, and model of the affected engine?
2018 Pierce Enforcer Pumper.
What is the total weight?
35,000 pounds.
How much did the engine cost when we purchased it?
This unit was ~$600,000 in 2018. The same model engine costs $1.2 million in 2025.
Is the engine repairable, and how much will repairs cost?
It is too soon to know, but we are working on answers.
How many fire engines does Everett own?
11 total, 6 on the frontlines, 5 reserve
3 ladder engines, 2 on the frontlines, 1 reserve
What are wheel immobilizing devices, known as wheel “chocks?”
They are cast aluminum blocks designed to prevent the unit from rolling. They are effective in most cases, but not designed to withstand an intentional overrun. They are rated to hold vehicles up to 70,000 pounds.
July 23, 2025
Everett Fire, Everett Government