Chile marks National Firefighter Day as a tablet is stolen in Copiapó

Chile observed the National Firefighter Day on June 30, honoring the country's volunteer firefighting corps that dates back to the first brigade in Valparaíso in 1851. The day featured ceremonies, parades and public acknowledgments of more than 55,000 volunteers nationwide.

In Copiapó, the commemorative events were marred by the theft of an operational tablet worth about 200,000 Chilean pesos. The device, an Active 8 Pro, was taken from a fire unit during a breakfast gathering and is crucial for geolocation and rapid response. Police and firefighters launched a search, sharing images of the suspect and urging community assistance to recover the equipment, warning that its loss hampers emergency response for the local population.