do NOT put pepper spray on the equipment used by police officers!!!! Original Article Seven emergency workers overcome after possible gear sabotage TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- Five volunteer firefighters, a paramedic and an ambulance attendant were rushed to the hospital after being overcome in what authorities suspect was a case of equipment sabotage. Arivaca Volunteer Fire Department officials believe that some of their equipment, including breathing masks, was tampered with during a break-in that occurred late Friday or early Saturday, Capt. Tilda Martinez said. The six firefighters were overcome after responding to a car fire in the town about 40 miles south of Tucson on Saturday night. Five volunteer firefighters collapsed as soon as they donned their equipment, and a volunteer emergency medical technician who was caring for one of the firefighters also was overcome by toxic fumes. "They were all experiencing the same symptoms: face burning, nose burning, eyes watering and vomiting," Martinez said. "Their symptoms were consistent with their masks being hit with pepper spray or some pepper component." Other ambulance crews were called to help, and one attendant also experienced symtoms, Martinez said. Arivaca volunteer firefighter Ricky Martinez, the son of Tilda Martinez, said that every time he took a breath with his breathing apparatus on, his throat and face would burn. "We thought it was something in the smoke that was getting into our masks at first," the 18-year-old said. Tilda Martinez said the volunteer medic nearly died when she had a severe asthma attack triggered by the fumes. She said she hoped the incident was a practical joke gone awry, not something more sinister. "I am absolutely infuriated," Tilda Martinez said. "We are volunteers. None of us are paid, but we put our lives on the line, and for someone to sabotage our equipment is like trying to kill us. Arivaca's equipment was tested by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, but ADEQ said it could not comment on the findings late Tuesday