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West Webster Fire Dept. Getting Help With Equipment Upgrade

West Webster Fire Department

Local Congresswoman Louise Slaughter says the West Webster Fire Department has received a $305,000 grant  from FEMA.

She says the money will help that department improve the quality of its communication equipment, to buy portable radios and repeater equipment. That will allow the installation of the radio repeaters on all of their vehicles.

Slaughter notes that the grant will help a fire department that faced unimaginable tragedy.

On Christmas Eve, 2012, two volunteer firefighters were killed and two other people injured in a sniper attack while responding to a fire. The man who set that fire and ambushed the firefighters, William Spengler also killed his sister. He later  shot and killed himself.

The money for the equipment comes from the Assistance for Firefighter Grant program which will award more than $304 million during the fiscal year.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.