SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Some special memories have disappeared from Suffolk’s newest fire station, though fire officials say they’re not looking to prosecute — they just want the items back.
Priceless memorabilia, some donated by retired firemen, were on display and went missing soon after the grand opening of Fire Station 11 in Suffolk.
Suffolk Fire hosts ribbon cutting for new fire station
It was a day of hope and celebration.
“We’re going to decrease our response times by over half into that area, and so the community is gaining greatly by the opening of that fire station,” Suffolk Fire Chief Michael Barakey said.That celebration, though, turned into disappointment after the memorabilia went missing. “It is heartbreaking,” Suffolk Fire Battalion Chief Steven Henkle said.Sometime between the uncoupling ceremony Friday, July 18 and the following Wednesday, fire officials noticed donated memorabilia missing from the display case in Station 11.“Within the fire department, it’s tradition that we like to honor our history,” Henkle said.Said Barakey: “Our fire department’s been around since 1884, and you see around here, we have so much memorabilia.”Hats, uniforms, pins, badges, awards — all items serving as a reminder of the rich history of the profession. Some of the items taken were donated by retired Capt. Daniel Huffman.“And Capt. Huffman, being 34 years on the job with the city of Suffolk and a great fire officer, wanted to take some personal stuff out of his living room and display there for everyone to see for years to come,” Barakey said…