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Ohio firefighters consider body armor after shooting

After a firefighter was shot in the leg earlier this week, fire officials are re-evaluating their safety measures

By FireRescue1 Staff

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Firefighters are considering wearing body armor after one of their own was shot on a call this week.

Fire Lt. Paul Lutton, 46, was shot in the calf while he and other crew members were leaving the scene of a house fire. Police have yet to identify or find the suspect. A bullet also grazed the turnout coat of firefighter Dwayne Montgomery, but he was not injured.

Union officials are now looking into purchasing body armor.

“When we come to come to help, we’re usually welcomed with open arms. So to have something like this happen, it’s a lot different for us and we’re trying to adjust,” Fire Lt. Tony Ciccone, who’s also president of Youngstown Professional Fire Fighters IAFF Local 312, told WFMJ. “We just want to make sure that we’re able to do our job safely.”

Fire Chief John O’Neill is also revisiting the idea of battalion chiefs taking advantage of conceal carry while on fire scenes.

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