protecting those water supplies. >> Well, this weekend has many first responders on high alert, including Alameda County's new hand crew aid. >> And that is a team of firefighters who've been assigned to respond to downed trees and other weather related emergencies. But during a recent assignment, the crews equipment was vandalized and stolen. >> That's right, KTVU is Amber Lee joining us now in the studio after talking to a member of that unit, Amber Christian Jana. >> The firefighters described the vandalism and theft as a severe blow. This new unit has limited resources, making the loss even more challenging to overcome them. But one firefighter tells me crew members are resilient and will work with what they have. The newly formed Hand crew, eight, from Alameda County Fire will be responding to calls this weekend, despite a recent setback, three out of the unit's four vehicles were vandalized and essential equipment was stolen. >> Our main purpose for what the crew is around for, especially during the storm damage was to be available to respond to hazard trees and immediately after the incident, we were unavailable to do that. >> During the first weekend of February, the crew responded to storm damage caused by fallen trees in different parts of Alameda County. The ten member team was staying at the DoubleTree Hotel in Pleasanton while on assignment for the California Office of Emergency Services on February 6th, around 6 a.m, crew members found their parked vehicles damaged in the hotel parking lot. Thieves had broken in and stolen five expensive high performance chainsaws for firefighter Chad Marino. Shows me what the stolen saws look like. >> You can see the logo, he says. >> Each one has a sticker with the Alameda County Fire logo and a serial number. No word yet on possible suspects. The department managed to buy three saws that will make it possible for the crew to continue to respond to fallen trees. Still Marino says the loss hurts. >> It is very frustrating. It's personal for us. Those tools that they took from us, uh, are very specific to us and are very important part of the job that we do as a hand crew in the pack. Normally we carry our water bottle also stolen was a fire pack such as this one. >> Each crew member uses them to carry items including gloves and a fire shelter. Marino says it's especially tough since it was a $2 million state grant that made the creation of this long and new unit possible for somebody that just has no due regard, really, for anything to come in and just deal with a blow that large. >> I mean, $12,000 is nothing. The bat nigh at. And then the availability of these things, it just makes our job harder. >> Marino tells me the crew will be able to respond to any storm related incidents in the coming days, but when they'll have all their equipment back is unknown at this point. >> And that's great that they have those a label or something marking that equipment that was stolen. The problem is those can be removed, but there are serial
