NORTH BABYLON, N.Y. — The North Babylon Volunteer Fire Company will revise its policies and require sensitivity training after a video showed Fire Chief Peter Alt cursing at a minor during an Aug. 4 call, Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer said.
Newsday reported that Schaffer said in a letter to the Rev. Saba Mchunguzi, president of the Central Long Island NAACP branch, that the town’s investigation is complete and called Alt’s conduct “disturbing and unacceptable” and below “the standard of professionalism of a volunteer fireman.”
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Schaffer said the town will add new requirements to the fire company’s contract when it renews in December. These new requirements are mandatory sensitivity training for all members with proof of completion, updated policies and procedures for interacting with minors, and a formal code of conduct that every member must follow.
“While the town finds this incident to be deplorable, we will administratively do what we can to ensure that the fire departments we contract with and serve our residents, must do so with respect and compassion,” Schaffer wrote. “I have asked the town attorney and commissioner of public safety to enumerate additional safeguards in our contracts to prevent this behavior in the future. This type of behavior will not be tolerated.”
A neighbor’s video showed Chief Peter Alt shouting expletives at a crying child while loading her onto a gurney during a West Babylon call. Police alerted supervisors and Internal Affairs, and the fire company relieved Alt of all duties pending the investigation.
NAACP Regional Director Tracey Edwards reviewed police bodycam and said the officers and the EMT acted professionally and empathetically. She said Alt, who wasn’t part of the initial interaction, had no justification to intervene.
We want your perspective: Did the town get it right? Should sensitivity training be mandatory for all fire/EMS members?
