Trump’s picture on FDNY rig is followed by department warning
The New York tabloids have stories about FDNY and the President-elect. Both the New York Daily News and the New York Post are reporting some firefighters are angered by an order this week warning that you can’t hang pictures of Donald Trump inside firehouses or on rigs.
The Post reports this came about because of complaints that Engine 276 in Brooklyn had an image of President-elect Trump on its grill. The Daily News cited a department source saying the recent memo was not in reaction to that picture, but the Post article shows an image of a department document that says. “One Unit was driving around with mask of Trump on front of rig.”
Susan Edelman, Sarah Trefethen & Chris Perez, New York Post:
“Only [the] FDNY wouldn’t want the democratically elected president of America hanging in a firehouse,” said one firefighter, who asked to remain anonymous.
“The firehouse is supposed to be a symbol of America. That’s hard to believe when you can’t post a picture of the president.”
Department brass sent out a memo this week urging New York City’s Bravest to “remain out of the political scene and out of the political field” amid the widely divided opinions sparked by Trump’s election a week ago, according to officials.
Ginger Adams Otis, Rocco Parascandola & Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News:
“It was meant to be a reminder of the department’s regulations about messaging that could prove to be problematic in the work place,” the source said.
The source said the directive, announced at roll call, was an informal reminder of existing policy and not an official order.
But Jim Slevin, president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, said the announcement sent the wrong message.
“Honoring and respecting the office of President of the United States is an American tradition,” Slevin said in a statement. “What is quite ironic, is that the President-elect’s photo will soon hang in every federal building, on military bases and U.S. Embassies across the globe.”
