SPANIARD’S BAY, Canada — A firefighting instructor who showed a pornographic film that led to the mass resignation of 20 volunteer firefighters said it was “just for laughs.”
CBC.ca reported that Jeremy Hall, a veteran firefighter and chief of the South River-based Bay de Grave regional fire department, has been a firefighting instructor for the past decade. He claims he did not intend to make the sole woman in the training course uncomfortable by showing the video.
“She had just as much of a chuckle about it as everyone else did,” said Hall, who oversaw the vehicle-extrication course in April 2014.
Female firefighter Brenda Seymour, who is also a member of the town council, filed the allegations of sexual and general harassment — and brought her concerns to the media. She said the X-rated film, hard-core porn that played for about five minutes, was part of a pattern of mistreatment she received during her time as a volunteer firefighter.
“I do think it was a personal attack on me,” Seymour said. “Our chief [Victor Hiscock] was 100 percent responsible.… It was a failure in leadership.”
In addition to the 20 firefighters who resigned, once council member who is the fire department liaison also resigned. Mayor Tom Menchions said of the mass resignations that he was “shocked to say the least, but not surprised.” He also said that personalities, not gender issues, were the cause of the resignations.
After bringing her concerns to the council, she led a motion to have Chief Hiscock dismissed. The deciding vote to retain Chief Hiscock was cast by Menchions. Menchions said an outside firm will be hired to review the situation.
Seymour’s charges also include being passed over for promotion to executive positions despite being only one of two firefighters holding a Level II firefighter certification.
Hall, whose name has since been removed from the list of certified instructors, later said he regretted playing the film.
“There was no harassment [intended] towards her or anybody else,” Hall said.
Hall said the incident will likely also impact his status as fire chief, according to the report.
As Spaniard’s Bay sorts out the resignations, neighboring towns will cover its emergency calls.