CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Firefighters face all sort of risks on the job but one thing people often don’t think about is the potential of being shot.

  • Charlotte Fire Department added roughly 300 bulletproof vests last month
  • Firefighters only wear the vests when they respond to violent calls but they always have them in their truck
  • One of the first calls the vests were used for was the UNC Charlotte shooting

It's why the Charlotte Fire Department added roughly 300 bulletproof vests last month.

Firefighters only wear the vests when they respond to violent calls but they always have them in their truck. They’re available for any firefighter who needs them.

“It's not as much about what we deal with on a regular basis but what the potential has become from anything from active shooter events to civil unrest to coordinated attacks from terrorist organizations,” said Charlotte Fire Department Chief Kent Davis.

One of the first calls the vests were used for was the UNC Charlotte shooting.