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Date Posted: Thursday, November07, 08:04:pm
Author: Concerned
Subject: Department Problems

TO: Local 589
FROM: Capt. A Muhammad
DATE: October 25, 2024
RE: Work Environment

Good Afternoon
I hope this letter finds everyone in the best of health and spirit. The main portion of this letter was written last week. I decided to wait until everyone had the opportunity to attend the yearly training so that everyone would have a copy of the policies with regards to the topic of Workplace Violence Prevention.

I’m writing this letter to address a matter that is currently present within the firehouse. My goal is to present the problem and allow the individuals to take corrective measures with regards to their behavior and treatment of other firefighters that are currently employed by the city of Newburgh Fire Department.

Over the course of the past six to nine months, approximately, I have had a number of firefighters bring issues to my attention with regards to the disrespect and negative treatment coming from officers on this job. It is beginning to resemble the making of a hostile work environment.

I would be a fool to believe that racism and bigotry doesn’t exist in the fire department. I am not claiming this as the root of the complaints that I’m receiving. However, I would like to define the word bigotry to begin to set the stage for the rest of this letter.

Bigot: One who regards or treats the members of a group (such as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance.

Intolerant: Unwilling to grant or share social, political, or professional rights: BIGOTED

All of the complaints that I have received share this in common. I have noticed that the SOP’s of the fire department are not applied equally across the board. I have also noticed that while the errors, mistakes and blunders of some are swept under the rug and remain hidden, others have their mistakes brought out into the light so that everyone can ridicule and make mockery. We are fighting a battle outside the firehouse and yet we have a cancer that exists within.

One complaint in particular, that seems to be shared by others, comes as a result of firefighters asking questions and being treated in a manner that would be disrespectful. It is as if a new recruit is supposed to retain everything learned at the academy and know everything that is in the manual. To simply tell a new recruit that he should know this is hypocrisy since the same officer fails to understand what is in the SOP’s with regards to the treatment of fellow employees.

To receive these types of complaints with regards to fellow firefighters being mistreated is disheartening.

You would think, as adults, we would have the ability to grow out of this “playground” mentality of bullying other individuals and then hide behind our authority or rank.

The firefighters that are being disrespected may be the individuals on the FAST Team that have to respond to YOUR MAYDAY!

My recommendation is for us to revisit the SOP’s, grow up, and focus on the problem outside the fire house. To write a letter requesting that we show common courtesy and respect to one another on the job is unbelievable.

Article 12: General Rules of Business
12.2 Conduct:​All members shall conduct themselves while in quarters and on the fire ground so as not to bring disrepute or to disrupt the good order and discipline of the department or cause division or discontent among its members. The use of abusive, obscene or degrading language while in quarters and on the fire ground will not be tolerated, or condoned.

12.14 Criticism of Department, Other Members
Members shall not publicly criticize or ridicule the department, its policies, or other members, by speech, writing or other expressions which are defamatory, false, obscene, unlawful or otherwise unprotected

My advice to those that have brought their complaints to me is to do the following...

1. Request a meeting with the officer and attempt to handle these problems as adults.
2. If that is not a viable solution then you can contact a Captain to mediate a meeting with the Firefighter and the Officer to bring some closure to the problem.
3. Eventually, if the problem remains unsolved, it will have to be passed up the chain of command.

Most of our issues should be solvable before going to management.

I’m getting the impression that individuals are being singled out for reasons that may be personal. I wouldn’t advise using your personal feelings towards other firefighters to build a file in order to find grounds to get individuals terminated. I’m already seeing a pattern where that is concerned.
In NYS, based on my understanding, an individual can file a Civil Suit against an individual if it can be proven that a hostile work environment has been produced.

We should also revisit Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

If I’m wrong in my assessment I am willing to sit down with anyone. If I am wrong I’m not to big to apologize. However, I have witnessed this over 19 years and have had to deal with racism and bigotry first hand. I’m not just speaking based on what I have been told. I’m also speaking based on what I have experienced. My goal is to leave the new firefighters with the tools necessary so that they don’t have to deal with the same ignorance that I had to tolerate.

If there are any question please feel free to reach out.

Sincerely
Captain A. Muhammad

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