Upstate firefighters are becoming better equipped for active shooter situations.
The Converse Fire Department received a donation from BASF Converse to buy six bulletproof vests and several emergency kits that include tools like tourniquets. "It was equipment that they needed," BASF Converse Site Manager Jerome Kirkland said. "They're also emergency first responders, so when different things happen in the community, they need to make sure that they have the proper equipment to be able to help those in the community."
Firefighters are often on the front lines of emergency situations alongside law enforcement officers.
"The old saying is, 'If you need something, call the fire department,'" Converse Fire's Assistant Chief Chris Weathersbee said. "We do just about anything that we're called upon to do."