Is this normal/acceptable?

[u/Puzzleheaded_Owl5699]

A little context to start. It might be a long read. I am a “probie” currently going through an online EMT program. Me and the 4 other probies spend M-F 8-5 at the training center/station doing our course work and helping as needed/asked. Our training chief (who is currently in charge of us) told us our only job is to continue like that, and clean the building we are in. We understand this to also mean the training bay and tower.

One firefighter came in one Saturday off shift to get a workout in. This guy is known to be pretty hard on probies and sometimes a bit too much. He noticed the trash cans were full in the training bay. Trash cans that we emptied on Friday and got filled from a large police training that took place Friday night (it’s a shared FD/PD facility). On Monday at 0815, he storms into our classroom and yells at us about the trash being full and he tells us he “took care of it.” Knowing the guy, we go out and investigate to find he dumped the trash cans all over the ground and stuffed some in our lockers in the training bay. He was again off shift this morning and was there for an OT recruiting event, so he came in just before he left.

Cleaning has always been an end of day task for us for the past 6 months, including during our time in the academy.

Is this behavior normal? Is this seen as a normal way to address such a small issue that we weren’t even aware of? Most people in our department (~130 people) don’t act this way.

[u/Mediocre_Daikon6935]

Is your EMT class associated with a college? Then it violates federal anti-hazing laws. I doubt very much the college associate with the class would be happy to have to put 5 counts of hazing on their public records.

https://www.clerycenter.org/scha-what-you-need-to-know

And I have trouble thinking it doesn’t fall under this.

 https://www.eeoc.gov/harassment

Take a look, and then decide if it is  time to hold a class meeting.

Then go together and use the chief’s open door policy. Make it clear he’ll lose 5 EMT who will be filing workplace harassment lawsuits and complaints with the Dept of Labor (and whatever your state agency is), or he loses one firefighter that clearly has not read the company policies on harassment.

Have a highlighted copy of the company policies.

[u/calriderzeke → u/Mediocre_Daikon6935]

As right as you are about anti harassment and hazing laws, “threatening” the leader of your organization is never a good look.

Bring the issue to the attention of the CoC and allow them to address it… otherwise you’ll just develop a reputation as “that guy” who doesn’t understand how a chain of command is supposed to work.

[u/Mediocre_Daikon6935 → u/calriderzeke]

That is exactly how the chain of command works.

Their supervisor was there, and didn’t address it on the spot.

That means it goes to the top.