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Firefighters Theodore Scardino, left, and Joseph Hofstetter, right, speak during a news conference in West Webster, N.Y., Wednesday, March 6, 2013. They were shot the morning of Dec. 24 after arriving at the scene of a house fire in Webster, just east of Rochester. Two other firefighters, Michael Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka were killed when William Spengler opened fire on them as they arrived on the scene. (AP Photo/David Duprey)

2 Firefighters Wounded in Webster Shooting Speak

WEBSTER, N.Y. (AP) - The two Rochester-area firefighters who survived the Christmas Eve shooting that claimed the lives of two comrades say it's going to be a long road back to recovery.

Speaking publicly for the first time Wednesday, Joseph Hofstetter and Theodore Scardino thanked the public for the support after both were shot the morning of Dec. 24 at the scene of a house fire in Webster, just east of Rochester. Two other firefighters, Michael Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka (TOH'-mahz kah-CHOOV'-skahs), were killed when William Spengler opened fire on them as they arrived on the scene.

Hofstetter and Scardino are both in physical therapy with hopes of returning to work.

Police say Spengler set fire to the lakeside house he shared with his sister. Authorities believe remains found in the rubble may have been hers.

Spengler committed suicide after police arrived.