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Michigan Firefighter Suspended For "Flashing" Lights
LEON HENDRIX
WOOD TV
Reprinted with Permission
ALPINE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - An Alpine Township firefighter was suspended after turning on his fire truck emergency lights to prompt a truck driver to drive more appropriately.
Kent County Sheriff's Department officials told 24 Hour News 8 the firefighter saw a truck he thought was driving recklessly. He turned on his emergency flashers.
The driver of the truck, Jacob Stiles, believed the firefighter, who was wearing a security uniform, was trying to pull him over.
But investigators don't believe that's the case.
Stiles followed the firefighter back to the Alpine Township Fire Department, then called the police.
"After I passed him, he got behind me," he told 24 Hour News 8, "flipped his lights on and there were red lights in his dash and in the rear window."
Fire Chief Ronald Christians said the firefighter should have thought through his actions more thoroughly. "He was probably provoked and, much like in human nature, we also teach these persons that you need to keep control."
The unnamed, paid-on-call firefighter has been indefinitely suspended during the investigation. The reports have been forwarded to the prosecutor's office and could result in misdemeanor charges against the firefighter.
WOOD TV
Reprinted with Permission
ALPINE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - An Alpine Township firefighter was suspended after turning on his fire truck emergency lights to prompt a truck driver to drive more appropriately.
Kent County Sheriff's Department officials told 24 Hour News 8 the firefighter saw a truck he thought was driving recklessly. He turned on his emergency flashers.
The driver of the truck, Jacob Stiles, believed the firefighter, who was wearing a security uniform, was trying to pull him over.
But investigators don't believe that's the case.
Stiles followed the firefighter back to the Alpine Township Fire Department, then called the police.
"After I passed him, he got behind me," he told 24 Hour News 8, "flipped his lights on and there were red lights in his dash and in the rear window."
Fire Chief Ronald Christians said the firefighter should have thought through his actions more thoroughly. "He was probably provoked and, much like in human nature, we also teach these persons that you need to keep control."
The unnamed, paid-on-call firefighter has been indefinitely suspended during the investigation. The reports have been forwarded to the prosecutor's office and could result in misdemeanor charges against the firefighter.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by kara-lee allen on
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ah thank you ralph
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Permalink Reply by Justin Fontenot on
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Ok so the guy was a fool for doing this we all agree. This is why here at my department we do not feel the need to use lights on pov's if we are responding to a call with or without the truck we use are hazards and that is it the chief dose not even have lights on his pov.
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Permalink Reply by WestPhilly on
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Seems like much ado about not much. Discipline the guy (something well south of firing) and that's that.
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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Switch to decaf.
Here's a bit of irony.
This is a website where discussions are held on a diverse array of topics.
And yet, those discussing this topic is an embarrassment to the fire service.
I have yet to be contacted by anyone from the fire service with those sentiments.
You state that you have seen it all.
You have not.
You can't see that your statement is nothing more than a fart in the wind.
However; I admire your enthusiasm.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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@ Mike: Lighten up Francis!
The embarassment (correct spelling) to the Fire service is the guy who turned on his "emergency" lights to try and prove something to the truck driver who passed him. Where I come from that's illegal!
As far as 39 years in the Fire Service, good for you. All that means is that you've been doing this job for 39 years. It doesn't mean that everything you do is right or that your opinion over rules all others simply because you've put in 39 years. The Fire Service is full of guys who like you stated, "have seen it all and done it all", but are still too stupid to wear a seatbelt or an SCBA when required!
Now I've only been at this for 16 years, so maybe I'm missing something. I fail to see how those of us on this site who disagree with this Firefighter's misuse of his lights have become an "embarassment to the Fire Service". It's 2010 for God's sake! If you stand behind this guy for what he did, I seriously hope that you're not in charge of anything important at your F.D.
Stay safe!
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Guess I posted my comment on the wrong page.
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Wow, 2 "Jamokes" in the same posting. I haven't heard that term in years, thanks for bringing it back Art!
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Not at all WP. I'm not advocating nailing the guy to a cross or anything. He clearly f*cked up and should probably earn himself a suspension and a re-education of his dept's light usage policy.
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Perfectly reasonable, Brian. But some of the comments struck me as a little too ernest. In the grand scheme of things, I see this as a relatively inconsequential matter.
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