Texas Firefighter's Donation Replaces Volunteer's Stolen PPE

April 12, 2016
Snyder firefighter David Kruse's structural PPE was stolen while he battled a brush fire.

A career firefighter donated $1,500 to replace a set of PPE that was stolen while a volunteer firefighters battled a Texas brush fire recently.

Snyder Firefighter David Kruse donned his lightweight wildland PPE and left the structural gear in the back of his pickup truck before jumping on a fire truck headed to the scene, according to The Eagle.

"He had his vehicle locked up, slammed the tailgate and hopped on the fire truck," said Snyder Fire Chief Perry Westmoreland. "And then somebody came along and proceeded to help themselves to whatever they could get their hands on."

They made off with his helmet, gloves, coat, pants and boots, which were stored in a bag in the bed of his truck.

Police have very few leads as they conduct their invesigation into the theft.

"That's been pretty well what's buffaloed all of us, what value did it have? Who would want it?" Westmoreland said. "I mean, if somebody wanted some, we've got old stuff down here that we'll just give you."

Mike Dalby, a firefighter in Lubbock, saw the story about Kruse being ripped off on the television. 

Dalby's wife was diagnosed with aggressive stomach cancer in December.

"My wife is an ER nurse; the fire department, the medical community has stepped-up big time for our family with donations and things," Dalby said. 

After seeing the television report, he felt he had to do something.

"I turned to my wife and said, 'I'm going to Snyder in the morning and donate to the cause,'" he said. She understood why.

He donated $1,500 to help Kruse purchase new PPE.

"I can never, never, ever repay that generosity everyone showed us," Dalby said. "All I could do was pay it forward, that was the only way to honor the people who have given to me and my family, by carrying on that legacy and doing something out of the norm, just helping somebody out."

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