Hometown News and Views

By Anne Siren

Pompano Beach – “Fire station 103 presents me,” said Ernestine Price. “It is paid by me. We pay them well.”

NAACP president Willie Lawson called the incident “disgraceful” and “offensive.” Lawson called for a public apology. He added that the incident, according to the city’s charter, is cause for dismissal.”

Both speakers and others referred to a Pompano Beach fire fighter who had placed toilet paper in one of the restrooms that had pictures of President Obama printed on it.

The incident came to light when someone reported it to fire administration two weeks ago. According to Sandra King, public information officer, the fire chief, Harry Small, began an immediate investigation.

It’s not the first kind of incident of this sort at the same station when one fire fighter had placed an anti-Obama bumper sticker on his locker. That incident was reported by another fire fighter who said he had been insulted by the sticker.

The fire fighter apologized for the bumper sticker and removed it.

This most recent incident brought a dozen residents to Tuesday’s commission meeting.

City Manager Dennis Beach said the internal investigation is still underway and full disclosure will be brought to the public when it has been completed.

Mayor Lamar Fisher added that the incident was offensive to the commission as well.