Fire/Rescue News - LOCAL RESCUE SQUAD TARGET OF MALICIOUS VANDALISM

 NORTHFIELD--When the city of Northfield hired a new EMS service, the already existing Northfield Rescue Squad decided to serve the community in another capacity, by providing patient transports. In this NBC exclusive, we explain how someone tried to stop them with a malicious act of vandalism, but so far haven't succeeded.

"We could not get this opened at all." It was a problem encountered by members of the Northfield Rescue Squad as they tried to open their ambulance's back doors to pick up a patient, doors that were sealed shut after the lock was filled with super glue. "I just never imagined anyone would...would do something like this," said Rescue Squad member Lynn Perri, "it's an emergency vehicle, it's there to help people and I don't see a reason why anyone would ever want to do that."

"It takes a sick person to do something against somebody that's helping other people," said Frank Greis. The damage was discovered a week ago, when the squad arrived at his home to take his wife, who suffered a stroke several years ago, to a doctor's appointment and they couldn't open the doors.

"We're just so disheartened," said Perri, "it's something we do, we' serve the community. It was very embarrassing, thank goodness the people we were helping understood."

"These people are here at our beckon call," said Greis, "I would have a problem if I didn't have this type of help. These people are like family."

It's believed the vandalism took place sometime between the late-night hours of September 27 and the morning of the 29th. While it's unknown who or why someone did it, rescue squad officials say it likely only took a couple of minutes to jam them up for quite some time. "It totally shuts your operation down," said Chief Ray Adams of the Northfield Rescue Squad.

While a locksmith was able to rig up the ambulance so it's still operational, it will cost the squad about $800 to fix. Members are now left wondering if the vandalism is connected to a couple of harassing messages left on their answering machine before and after the crime. A message from the early morning just days before said, "I saw your rescue squad vehicle and I thought that AtlantiCare was in commission because you guys (expletive) my (expletive.)"

"I definitely think it's the same person," said Adams, "somebody out there doesn't want us to be in operation. Why? I my wildest dreams I have no idea why."

And while the squad will now take extra precautions to keep their vehicles and equipment safe, they say it will take a lot more than mean-spirited vandals to lock them out of helping the community.

Anyone with information about the vandalism or who may be behind it is asked to contact the Northfield Police Department by calling (609)641-2832.