Tragic shootings at schools, events, and public places across the country-they're changing how our firefighters and first responders do their jobs.
Fire officials told newsnet5.com they're gearing up with military grade equipment, a sign of changing times, because they need to be prepared for anything.
It's not standard gear for the job, but Mentor firefighter David Horvath and all of his colleagues have all been trained to wear and use military-grade equipment such as ballistic vests, helmets, tourniquets, and special gauze and patches for bullet wounds.
Battalion Chief Ronald Zak said they bought the equipment with the fire department's budget two years ago, after the Chardon school shooting in 2012, where three students were shot and three killed on school property.
"Unfortunately we've had more and more occur throughout the country, nationwide, were first responders, we are going to try to get in once police enter," Zak said.
They want to follow police safely, and they're not alone. Just 13 miles down the road, a department is modeling their emergency response efforts after Mentor's.
Lyndhurst is one of 16 departments on Cleveland's east side participating in a rescue task force program for active shooter threat events.
Lyndhurst Fire Chief Mike Carroll told newsnet5.com they just applied for a grant that would allow them to expand.
"The fire department and EMS workers, we used to wait until the whole scene was secure, now we will go in with police officers and start treating victims right away," Carroll said.
It costs a little more than $1,000 to outfit one person. Carroll said he hopes they're awarded the grant so they don't have to find a way to budget for more gear.
Carroll said it could be part of the standard uniform in a few more years because firefighters and EMT's are working closer with police officers in dangerous situations more than ever before.
"It's not a matter of if, it's when it's going to occur. And it may not occur in the city of Lyndhurst, it may occur in one of the neighboring communities, and we are going to be responding there," he said.
The following communities are participating in the Rescue Task Force program for Active Shooter/Active Threat events in Eastern Cuyahoga County:
- Lyndhurst
- Mayfield Hts
- Mayfield Village
- Highland Heights
- Richmond Hts
- Gates Mills
- Pepper Pike
- Cleveland Hts
- Shaker Hts
- University Hts
- South Euclid
- Beachwood
- Orange Village
- Chagrin Falls
- Russell Twp
- Bainbridge Twp
