By Laurel J. Sweet
The Boston Herald
READING, Mass. — The flame—retardant gloves are off in Reading, where the town’s only female firefighter is suing a superior for sexual harassment over raunchy firehouse humor the married mother of two claims is positively incendiary.
Pvt. Lisa Palermo, 43, states in her civil action that Lt. Richard Puopolo, 51, talked about how he “nicknamed his genitalia,” simulated masturbation and oral sex with department equipment and taunted her with offensive jokes about sagging breasts and menstrual cycles.
But counsel for the town and Puopolo — a 25-year veteran of the force who’s already served a 59-day unpaid suspension for bawdy behavior — said Palermo “gives as good as she gets,” and is no lady around the boys.
“She uses George Carlin’s seven dirty words. Through this job you hear a lot of foul language, but some of the things she’s said and done would make you blush. They make me blush,” said Puopolo’s lawyer Thomas Donohue.
Attorney John Davis, who filed Palermo’s suit in Middlesex Superior Court, said, “My client has no problem with the PG-13 and R-rated stuff. She can dish it out. It’s the triple-X porn she objects to.”
Palermo, who has been with the RFD since 1998, and by the town’s own admission has never been disciplined, declined to discuss her lawsuit, but said she’s wanted to be a firefighter since childhood.
“You’re always helping people. Of course, people told me, `Girls can’t be firefighters.’ I guess I had to prove them wrong,” she said.
Donohue said Puopolo “has a great reputation as a firefighter” and “is a very good and loyal guy,” who volunteers in the winter to plow out families of his brethren who are on duty, is a Patriots season ticket holder and is very knowledgeable about bonzai trees.
“He’s upset,” Donohue said. “I think the town took care of whatever issues there were. Anyone can make allegations, but this is this guy’s life.”
Attorney Adam Simms, who’s defending Reading against Palermo’s claims, said while Puopolo agreed to a “very substantial” suspension, the town’s investigation yielded no evidence of sexual harassment. Simms said two male firefighters complained about Puopolo’s “quick temper” and “use of profanity.”
“It’s a tough profession for women. Anyone who would suggest otherwise has a very narrow view of the world,” Simms said.
Still, he said, Palermo “has engaged in the same horseplay and profane use of language that she is suing about. Our view is you can’t have it both ways.”
Copyright 2010 Boston Herald Inc.