St. Lucie County community members urged the fire district’s governing board to reconsider the termination of three firefighters during a recent meeting following an investigation into an alleged hazing incident.
A video that circulated online showed rookie firefighters being shocked with a modified bug zapper. The fire district has said the behavior constituted hazing and violated department policies. An independent investigation cited a culture of peer pressure and social exclusion.
Meanwhile, the firefighters’ union has characterized the incident as consensual horseplay among peers. The union also noted that the firefighters in question had previously filed internal grievances to the board…