The Orlando Fire Department is beginning to train its crews to take bulletproof vests with them to dangerous calls. Officials said firefighters and paramedics could be equipped with the vests as early as next month.
This move is following a trend across America. Firefighters in Denver started wearing protective vests in July and other cities like St. Louis, San Antonio and Charleston are following suit.
The need for extra protection in Orlando came to light when victims of the Pulse shooting tried to get into station 5, but firefighters had orders to stay inside and protect themselves.
“There were reports of multiple shooters. Our personnel did not know who was friend and who was foe at that point,” Chief Roderick Williams said.
Fire crews started training with the lifesaving vests earlier this month. The department is also seeking $10,000 from Orange County’s Committee of 100 grant program to buy more vests.