Concerned that first responders could encounter gunfire on an emergency call, the Appleton Fire Department is looking to buy additional protection equipment for its members.
In a memo to Appleton's Safety and Licensing Committee, Fire Chief Len Vander Wyst asked to redirect an unused $10,440 toward the purchase of about 20 sets of "ballistic personal protective equipment," including vests, helmets, pouches and headlamps. Each set costs about $500 to $600, according to his memo.
The proposal was on the committee's Wednesday meeting agenda.
In the memo, he cited an "increased number of incidents with escalating violence" as the rationale for the purchase.