NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- Body armor is not just reserved for police and the military.
Just a few weeks after equipping all first responders with Narcan, the City of North Adams has shown they're all about being prepared. This week, preparation was taken a step further, with the purchase of 15 sets of bullet proof vests and helmets for use by EMS and firefighters.
"This was critical equipment to have," said North Adams Ambulance Service Asst. Chief Amalio Jusino. "Unfortunately, in today's society, if you're dealing with an active shooter of any type, whether it's a school shooting or industrial business-type active shooter incident, right down to even a domestic violence type incident."
Or a 2012 tragedy, when a man in Webster, N.Y., set fire to his home and shot four firefighters coming off the truck, killing two of them before taking his own life. With this first wave of new tactical gear, first responders in the city can have similar ballistic gear to what police use.
"[We] provide them that level of protection that we all need so we can go home to our families at the end of our shifts," said North Adams Police Director Michael Cozzaglio.
The gear can be difficult to secure due to cost, but within one meeting the Ambulance Service Board of Directors approved the purchase. The city's first responders are tightly knit; they all train together, and when they're needed most, they stand together -- now, more protected.
"Unfortunately, it is a sign of the times," said Jusino. "This is equipment we hope we will never, ever use."