The firefighters at Colorado Springs Fire Department Station 16 were the victims of theft and the perpetrator got away scott free.
Earlier this month a black bear was caught on camera walking straight into an open bay door at the fire station located at 4980 Farthing Drive and emerging with a backpack full of gear in its mouth:
“Smokey the Bear (or who we assume is Smokey) walked into the bay at Station 16, grabbed our gear bag, peaced out real quick, and said thanks I’ll take it from here.” -Colorado Springs Fire Department
While the proud protectors of Olympic City USA took a joking approach to theft, they want to remind folks in all seriousness that their friends at Colorado Parks and Wildlife remind us that Black Bears are a “stomach with a nose” trying to bulk up for winter and residents should take extra precautions to prevent negative black bear activities as we head into fall:
-Keep food and trash secured
-Take down bird feeders
-Keep pet food inside,
-Keep grills clean
-Put out trash on pick-up day only
If you encounter a bear, make loud noises to scare them off to make any encounter with humans uncomfortable for them. Depending on human food sources is unsafe and puts bears and people at risk.
