RALEIGH COUNTY -
This morning, firefighters responding to a blaze in New York State came under fire. Not from the flames, but from people who they thought they were there to help.
Four of the would be rescuers were hit by gunfire when they showed up on the scene in Webster, New York. Two of those men were killed.
It may not have happened here, but it is a possibility that firefighters in our community could face.
After hearing news of firefighters shot and killed while on duty, Beckley Fire Captain Joseph Coughlin walks through the different dangers they face every day, from the typical smoke and fire, to the extreme, such as gunfire.
"We face a variety of hazards every day including weather and car wrecks. So we can take those dangers into considerations and train for that but one hazard we haven't addressed is running into armed individuals at the scene," said Captain Coughlin.
While the typical gear most firefighters wear when out on a call only prevents them from being burned by fire, now, unfortunately, they might have to start wearing a bullet proof vest.
"In some urban areas, a lot of fire departments are issuing bullet proof vests to the firemen."
Captain Coughlin believes that the worst is yet to come.
"The part that worries me is that its just going to get worse. These are things that we used to see from time to time and now its more frequently. The sad part is that its just going to get worse."
He says the best defense is being aware and preparing for the worst.
"It's an awareness and we are getting better at it and as new things come out we are trying to address it. But where people want to do you harm, that's a new one for us, that especially in this area, its scary that you see that more and more in the news."
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