T-shirt called ‘ethnically insulting’ was to raise money for family of CA firefighter who died at station
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A T-shirt designed by firefighters to raise funds for a memorial was intended to express pride in their own team. But now it’s being criticized as insensitive.
The T-shirt shows Fire Engine 45 surrounded by figures with baggy clothing, a pit bull, a tamale stand, with a caption that reads: “There goes the neighborhood,” with “Rancho Santa Ana” written on top.
The controversial T-shirt was designed by off-duty firefighters with Orange County Fire Authority Station 45 in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Officials say half of the nearly 30 firefighters came from Santa Ana after OCFA took over Santa Ana’s fire services.
Tony Saavedra, Orange County Register:
“I apologize on behalf of the OCFA for this reprehensible and completely indefensible act,” Chief Keith Richter wrote in an email to all employees. “I want to emphatically state that this type of thing is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
Richter called the shirt “ethnically insulting.”
Assistant Chief David Thomas said an internal investigation concluded that a print run of 60 T-shirts were being sold to establish a memorial fund for Greg Hennessey, a Station 45 engineer who died of cardiac arrest in January at age 49.
