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A violent hazing at a Florida firehouse is a criminal case and a leadership failure. In the latest Wellness Brief, Emily Hitchings and Greg Friese dissect how three firefighters and a paramedic allegedly stripped, beat and waterboarded a co-worker after a dispute over a phone. The discussion confronts the mob mentality that lets misconduct snowball and the importance of senior members drawing the line.
“Somebody should have said something,” Hitchings said, underscoring every firefighter’s duty to intervene.
“Ask your crew to read this news article, watch this discussion and then talk about how we keep our department from having this type of incident,” Friese said.
Training chiefs, use the incident for discussions to define unacceptable behaviors, role-play interventions and review policy language. When expectations are consistent on-scene, in the station and off-duty, boundaries hold, even when supervisors aren’t watching.
Finally, hazing isn’t tradition. It’s a threat to safety, morale and public confidence.
| When is hazing OK? Never. Let me explain.
“We should all be upstanders instead of bystanders.”
About The Brief: Wellness Edition
The Brief: Wellness Edition video series explores the wellness implications of current events for public safety professionals. Each episode brings a timely conversation that connects unfolding events to the day-to-day realities of first responders.
