r/Firefighting 24d ago

News North Babylon Fire Chief Off Duty After Cursing At Child In Distress Caught on Camera

https://patch.com/new-york/bayshore/li-fire-chief-caught-camera-shouting-obscenities-child-during-emergency-response
72 Upvotes

77 comments sorted by

43

u/Goonie-Googoo- 24d ago

Fun fact... back in the day - North Babylon Fire Dept Station #3 was also known as "Animal House".

It was a fraternity with fire trucks and firemen who responded to calls drunk and high.

19

u/Edge-Fishe FF/EMT 24d ago edited 24d ago

Idk how back in the day you were around the area but a few years ago bring up North Babylon FD and usually the first thing people would say is that they were a bunch of old drunks.

EDIT : Also looking at the long island reddit seems nothing has changed everyone saying the same thing that North Babylon is still a drunk boys club.

5

u/Goonie-Googoo- 24d ago edited 24d ago

Sounds like it hasn't changed much. Looking at their website - still seeing some familiar names... just much older now.

9

u/crash_over-ride Upstate NY 24d ago

Only 15 years ago I took a class in a local (Central NY) department that had a fully stocked bar in the station's basement (and quite a nice one at that).

3

u/Goonie-Googoo- 24d ago

It's wild that alcohol is even allowed at a fire department in the first place.

Volunteer fire companies are 'public' private non-profits in NY so they can kinda get away with it. They'll rent out their banquet halls for parties, weddings, etc... and make money from that and by offering a cash bar.

There's the understanding that they're not responding to calls under the influence. Doesn't always work out that way though.

Personally, the practice needs to stop. But no one has the political guts to end it because, especially since 9/11, especially since Long Island is in the shadow of New York City, that fire fighters are still sacred cows. Hell, two FDNY who were lost on 9/11 were also members of the North Babylon Fire Department. That shit runs deep.

But if you take away the booze, the membership will dry up.

Well that's the point, isn't it??

3

u/Ok_Situation1469 24d ago

If sky high insurance rates didn't make more firehouses go "dry" I can't see what else could.

4

u/Goonie-Googoo- 24d ago

They'll just pass those costs on to the taxpayers.

In New York, the volunteer fire protection districts are separate taxation entities that are required to hold annual votes to approve budgets and elect commissioners. Almost nobody knows about them... they're only advertised as a 'legal notice' in some weekly paper no one reads and the only people who show up to vote are, you guessed it, the members of the fire departments and their families.

But again, no one questions this stuff because "they're heroes who run into burning buildings for free".

Once in a while the state comptroller will do an audit, find a few minor bookkeeping problems - or something like the treasurer signs all the checks without oversight, issue a report which is little more than an advisory slap on the wrist and move on to the next audit.

It's wild what goes on here.

3

u/Ok_Situation1469 23d ago

I'm at the other end of the extreme (also a New York volunteer department), where our tax base can't afford much so we do everything we can to save them money, including having a dry firehouse to save on insurance costs. That said I grew up on Long Island so I remember that those firehouses are more like fancy VWF halls with a truck bay attached.

3

u/Goonie-Googoo- 23d ago

Ah OK - so you know. A lot of volunteer FD's are fighting for survival and shit like this doesn't help. The NBFD headquarters saw some serious expansion in like 2000 - huge banquet hall, more office space, training space, etc. My guess if you look at raw numbers... calls for service vs population of the district vs number of volunteers - it probably doesn't justify any of that. But again - who's going to question it?

And shit like this screams "time for reform".

3

u/Ok_Situation1469 23d ago

Long Island firehouses crack me up when they have fundraisers (and some of them have standing "carnival" infrastructure), because I'm always thinking, what more could you possibly spend money on (every chief has a brand new Tahoe).

0

u/Pyroechidna1 24d ago

Massapequa has a magnificent bar right behind the apparatus bay

55

u/TheArcaneAuthor Truckie, Hazmat Nerd, AEMT 24d ago

Good. That shit has no place in our profession.

24

u/thisissparta789789 24d ago

Especially this case. The chief was swearing at a 10-year-old girl.

7

u/throwingutah 24d ago

It sounds a little like he said something equally bad/worse as he was closing the doors, too.

1

u/binksmas 23d ago

Wait i cant make it out what did he say as he was closing the doors?

2

u/throwingutah 22d ago

Sounded like "Fing ner," IIRC. Don't really want to watch that nasty white man or any of the other cowards who didn't immediately punch him in the mouth again.

-13

u/HalliganHooligan FF/EMT 24d ago edited 24d ago

It’s what happens when admins and other social services allow 911 abuse to occur repeatedly instead of implementing actual solutions. Personnel get pushed to a breaking point. Wrong or not, that’s why.

Should he have done this, obviously not; however, it happens at more places than that department I’m sure primarily due to 911 abuse. You even hear him say “we’re here every fucking day”.

Just pointing out the broken 911 system.

8

u/TheArcaneAuthor Truckie, Hazmat Nerd, AEMT 24d ago

I'm not gonna say our system isn't broken, and I'm not gonna say people don't abuse it. But this behavior is utterly unacceptable and no excuse in the world can justify it. I don't care if you run the same lift assists every day, if the same frequent flyer calls trying to get narcotics five times a shift, if you deal with shitty patients being stupid over and over again. That's the job. If you've been pushed to the point where you curse out a 10 YEAR OLD, it's time to hang it up.

-3

u/HalliganHooligan FF/EMT 24d ago

Again, not justifying the man’s behavior, but I’m pointing out that no one seems willing to fix the system that causes it.

4

u/TheArcaneAuthor Truckie, Hazmat Nerd, AEMT 23d ago

Oh, lots of people are trying to fix it. The thing is, fixing this is a lot bigger than just reforming 911. It's about eliminating food deserts so people don't have to eat processed garbage and end up with type 2 diabetes that we then have to treat. It's about better community infrastructure that reduces drugs as the only visible escape, instead of trying to enforce it away or us showing up to narcan the same guy week after week. It's about better access to healthcare so that people can actually fix chronic issues instead of waiting until they're on death's door to call us (or more often, call us for minor issues because they can't afford anything else). But the same people that complain about all the "bullshit" med calls we run are the first to vote against any wider reaching policy that aims to address the problem.

0

u/HalliganHooligan FF/EMT 23d ago

“Food deserts” aren’t the problem, it’s a lack of self control, and that applies to the majority of the BS runs.

In reality, it’s not the people knocking on deaths door that are abusing the system.

18

u/remuspilot US Army Medic, FF-EMT EU and US 24d ago edited 24d ago

Shut the fuck up dude. What a piss shit poor take of whataboutism and crocodile tears.
My breaking point has never included verbally abusing kids.

Sorry that this standard is too high for you. Admin and "other social services" aren't the cause of the 911 "abuse". There is effectively zero legal recourse they have, and denying 911 services for any reason, made up or not, is financial and legal suicide in almost every US jurisdiction. It's just the way it is until there are bigger changes on state level that provide liability shields to triaging emergency medical services and apparatus. Right now no such thing exists, and not giving a ride to the hospital, no matter how silly reason it is, can be a severe trap for responsibility. All triage is ultimately denying care, but requires laws to support it. You should know this.

-4

u/[deleted] 24d ago edited 24d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

11

u/throwingutah 24d ago

We went to our local nursing facility four times before 2pm today. I looked a couple of years ago and I personally had been there over 300 times that year. Guess how many people I've told to STFU during those hundreds of visits?

-9

u/HalliganHooligan FF/EMT 24d ago

I’ve never justified the mans behavior, specifically. Just explaining and pointing out that abuse of 911 pushes many first responders over the edge, yet no one in meaningful positions will do anything about it because they’re too concerned about metrics and politics.

If you think this abuse of 911 by citizens and subsequent response is isolated you’re sorely mistaken.

3

u/EC_dwtn 24d ago

Then he should grow a pair and have this energy for his admins and elected officials instead of a child who is a patient.

1

u/HalliganHooligan FF/EMT 24d ago

Agreed.

6

u/Goonie-Googoo- 24d ago

He didn't have to respond... the fire chief doesn't have to respond to e.v.e.r.y. EMS call... they choose to do that because it looks good for metrics and 'hey - I can go flying to the call in my dept issued take home car code 3 because I can!'.

The adrenaline rush and ego trip is why guys like this do it for as long as they do.

They can say "well we're low on volunteers" so I HAD to respond but the reality is if the town replaces the fire companies with career FF's - the volunteers are done, and so are the multimillion dollar social clubs they've built over the decades.

There were 4-5 police officers there, and what appeared to be 2-3 EMT's from the fire company (North Babylon has their own ambulances and EMT's - the town doesn't contract out EMS to a private company like a lot of municipalities do these days).

The fire chief did not need to be there.

-2

u/HalliganHooligan FF/EMT 24d ago

He was likely one of the only respondents to the call in the first place based on the members’ call volume discretion.

-3

u/potatoprince1 24d ago

This is one of the dumbest comments I’ve ever read on this website

-1

u/Goonie-Googoo- 24d ago

Why is it dumb? If you have a fully-staffed ambulance - why does the fire chief need to be on scene?

5

u/JokerFaces2 24d ago

Oh no! I have to work at work!

We're civil servants, not the other way around. When they call we answer, end of story.

0

u/HalliganHooligan FF/EMT 24d ago

That mindset is why the 911 system is completely broken and falling apart across the country. Your solution is “well, you call we haul”.

2

u/llcdrewtaylor 23d ago

Dude needs to get some help. That is a 10 year old. What possible good could ever come from cursing out a 10 year old child. That guy has some issues that indicate maybe he shouldn't be in the dire service.

-2

u/HalliganHooligan FF/EMT 23d ago edited 23d ago

His only issue is frustration from what it seems. There is clearly abuse of the 911 system coming from that residence, and I’d wager a lack of parenting/discipline as well.

And for the cursing, I mean, people are acting like it’s the end of the world. Was it appropriate? No, but to me it’s not an end of the world deal. People on here are acting as if this guy attacked the kid when he was pointing out the obvious that they are there “every fucking day”.

3

u/llcdrewtaylor 23d ago

There is never an appropriate time to curse at a child. If you can’t be professional on every call get a different career.

-1

u/HalliganHooligan FF/EMT 23d ago edited 23d ago

You have obviously lived a very sheltered lifestyle then lol.

It’s literally only words, just words that some people have deemed “bad”. Words that are often used in everyday language by some people anyway. Yet, you act like it’s otherwise.

That’s why I’m glad we have the first amendment because some people get their feelings all hurt over words.

Again, I’m simply pointing out the what likely drove the man to using the language in the first place. Not something I would do, but I understand what drove him to that point. Additionally, it’s being blown out of proportion for rage bait.

1

u/llcdrewtaylor 23d ago

What does any of that have to do with screaming profanity at a child. Or any patient? I hope you aren’t a FF anymore, and also not a parent.

1

u/throwingutah 22d ago

Gonna guess this guy is also opposed to any social safety net that would help prevent this because bootstraps 🙄

0

u/HalliganHooligan FF/EMT 22d ago

Not necessarily, I’m against the abuse of social safety nets just as much as I’m against the abuse of 911. They typically go hand in hand, though.

0

u/HalliganHooligan FF/EMT 22d ago

I don’t know how many different ways I have to explain it to you to get it through your head. I’m not condoning it, but it’s wild how many of you get your panties in a wad over words. Just words.

I’ve outlined the situation of 911 abuse is what likely drove this man’s behavior past his breaking point, and no one does anything to change it. The mentality of “you all we haul” is wrong and enables the abuse that drives personnel across the country out of the fire service and has cratered recruitment/retention efforts.

I’m both actually, thanks! More than competent and onfident in both.

-1

u/Potential_Act8077 23d ago

Not condoning his behavior, but more facts are starting to emerge. Apparently the girl was having a tantrum because her mom took her phone away. So she decided to call the fire dept to help assist.

It's also been stated that the mom has called the fire dept upwards of 10 times in the past months to assist with "tantrums"

Chief should def not have reacted that way , but the fire dept is not social services.

4

u/TheArcaneAuthor Truckie, Hazmat Nerd, AEMT 23d ago

If we aren't condoning his behavior regardless, why does that context matter? Whenever someone says "He shouldn't have done that, but..." that "but" makes the first half of that statement sound disingenuous. Either we condemn this behavior, or we don't.

I'm not saying that situation doesn't suck. We've all been there, running the tenth bullshit call to the same address this week. But most of us don't verbally abuse a child because of it.

And anyone complaining about calls like this, I expect to see you at your next city or county council voting day advocating for expanded social services. If you think this shouldn't be our job (which for the record, I agree), then there needs to be some infrastructure in place that can handle this. This is where things like crisis intervention teams are perfect. Non-emergency, non-law-enforcement entities to handle behavioral and social service calls. Every city that's piloted them has had great results, but people need to be willing to put a little money towards it (we can start by maybe not giving PD more military hardware).

-1

u/Potential_Act8077 23d ago

I think the guy got the short end of the stick. Lack of Social services , inadequate training, lack of funding, whatever. Probably outside his wheelhouse to be handling an emotionally distressed kid.

No, he shouldn't have yelled at her. But everyone's acting like he has traumatized the kid for life.

Maybe she needed a verbal kick in the ass that mommy and daddy refused to do .

There's a reason that this kid acts this way and it all starts at home

2

u/TheArcaneAuthor Truckie, Hazmat Nerd, AEMT 22d ago

So you are condoning his actions. Got it.

-1

u/Potential_Act8077 22d ago

Yup. I think he had it with her bullshit and decided to stop treating her like a special little snowflake.

9

u/[deleted] 24d ago edited 24d ago

[deleted]

9

u/I-plaey-geetar Probie 23d ago

If you can’t keep your cool around a child you really don’t belong anywhere near public safety as a whole.

8

u/OhLookConsequences 24d ago

Imagine if this wasn’t recorded

4

u/Goonie-Googoo- 24d ago

Thing is he didn't know it was being recorded.

1

u/ZealousidealTea2966 1d ago

If it was not recorded it would be swept under rug like when I was abused by this same FD in Feb. 2020

11

u/RottingApples25 24d ago

It’s even more disappointing that none of his associates even tried a nudge or a “hey - relax”. Kid’s freaking out and getting screamed at by a stranger and no one tries to defend her.

2

u/SwingingtotheBeat 23d ago

It must be normal and generally accepted by his colleagues

1

u/ZealousidealTea2966 1d ago

That is what I argued in my complaint in Feb. 2020

2

u/UnderstandingNo2209 21d ago

I wonder if anyone has requested the body camera footage since Suffolk County PD wears them. I'd like to know exactly what he said at the end of the video.

8

u/Cinnimonbuns TX FF/Paramedic 24d ago

Yeah you cant do that bud. Everyone has a camera nowadays. Curse their name in the truck

20

u/Ok_Buddy_9087 Edit to create your own flair 24d ago

Or, OR…. be a professional, and just fucking don’t.

1000% this guy’s wife and kids are afraid of him.

11

u/Cinnimonbuns TX FF/Paramedic 24d ago

Its okay to vent. We deal with a lot of bullshit in the profession. Be a professional on scene and when dealing with the public, but if you want to vent in the truck or the station its okay.

-2

u/JokerFaces2 24d ago

It's usually the other way around, this "Chief" probably gets his ass kicked at home.

1

u/WaxedHalligan4407 23d ago

LIDS gonna LID

1

u/Ajdelay13 7d ago

Are people really surprised at this? It’s behavior that happens when you think you are above people. Seriously dude…you’re just a volunteer. Relax

1

u/Usual-Wheel-7497 24d ago

Now I’ve sure thought about it when a fool speeds past recklessly and how I’d be swearing at him if he crashed….

0

u/FirstNav 24d ago

Should have really used the term "let go" when referring to terminating a chief.

-8

u/SirNedKingOfGila Volly FF/EMT 24d ago

Like he was using swear words or he was actually shit talking a kid?

8

u/Edge-Fishe FF/EMT 24d ago

It was directed at the kid to STFU.

7

u/Catahooo 24d ago

Kid being loaded into an ambulance saying "no I don't want to, I wanna go home" chief says "$hut the f##k up, I deal with you every fu##ing day, $hut your mouth, fu##ing rediculous"

2

u/SirNedKingOfGila Volly FF/EMT 24d ago

Well yea obviously that's grossly inappropriate.

-12

u/potatoprince1 24d ago

Y’all are soft lol he literally just said “shut your mouth”

1

u/Froggynoch 23d ago

Right before that that he said “Shut the fuck up, I deal with you every fucking day”

-2

u/potatoprince1 23d ago

Wow that’s crazy bro

1

u/Froggynoch 23d ago

Not my fault you can’t hear.

-1

u/potatoprince1 23d ago

😂😂