A must read: One firehouse fart that’s still reverberating
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In Lebanon, Tennessee, Firefighter Tommy Chaffin was known around the firehouse as someone who farted near another firefighter and then left the room. Raise your hand if you’ve been at a firehouse where that has never happened. But one of Chaffin’s bombs three months ago is likely to soon be known as the fart heard around the world. Or at least around the fire service.
That’s because Chaffin’s fart has made news in the form of an article by Jared Felkins of the Lebanon Democrat & Wilson County News. You really can’t blame Felkins because the actions of the firefighters, the fire chief and the mayor elevated this incident of firehouse flatulence into a newsworthy incident in Lebanon.
The one little fart resulted in the following: Firefighter Stephen Westbeld, a mixed martial arts artist, received a two week suspension for using a chokehold on Chaffin until Chaffin became unconscious; Chaffin was put on six months probation for horseplay; Two firefighters, Adam Sumeral and Joe Simms, received written reprimands for videoing the incident (there’s concern the video may yet surface); Chief Chris Dowell received a letter of reprimand from Mayor Philip Craighead for not handling the incident better and a threat that the chief could be suspended if this happens again.
Heavy stuff, huh?
Here’s how it went down, according to Felkins fart finding investigation. It seems Chaffin and Westbeld are actually good friends, but apparently Westbeld was getting tired of the gas leaks.
“So one day, Stephen was at the computer, and Joe Simms and I were as well,” Sumeral said in his statement. “Tommy came up, passed gas and walked to the TV room. Stephen stood up, and I think he said, ‘here it goes,’ and went to the TV room. Stephen then put Tommy in a hold, and Tommy tried to get out. Tommy slumped down, and Stephen let go, and also helped him up.”
Sumeral said the two firefighters then both laughed about it and neither was mad or going at one another. He said no other incident was caused later, and neither showed any anger after.
“These are two men who are awful good at their job,” Craighead said. “They work with each other and clown around with each other. It could have caused a lot of issues. I think we did it harshly enough and got everyone’s attention that it’s not going to be tolerated.
“We could have had a funeral for one and another in jail. Fortunately it didn’t come to that. I think this will be a life-learning situation that will make them better at their jobs.”
