Local fire crews react to NY shooting

LAWRENCE, Ind. (WISH) - In October a gunman fired several shots as firefighters battled a fire near Butler's campus.

No one was hurt, but it left firefighters on edge.

"The last thing you think is someone will take shots at you,” said Lawrence Battalion Chief Dino Batalis.

On Christmas Eve, police in Western New York responded to a tragic scene after a gunmen opened fire on four firefighters, killing two and leaving two others in critical condition before killing himself.

"It's horrendous," said Batalis.

In Lawrence, firefighters are required to use the buddy system. That means two firefighters at a time enter a burning building.

This strategy is to help firefighters watch each other’s back. Dispatchers also work to keep fire crews alert to potential problems.

However, even Batalis admits that can do little to protect firefighters from an ambush attack.

"All the training we do there is still something that can happen where we don't have control of the situation," said Batalis.