Posted on 10/07/2017 2:14:34 PM PDT by TigerClaws
DETROIT (WJBK) - Fired before he officially started.
Last Monday, 41-year-old Robert Pattison went to introduce himself to his fellow firefighters at Engine 55 at Joy and Southfield in Detroit.
Second Battallion Chief Shawn McCarty calls it a tradition for firefighters.
by Taboola Sponsored Links Ad Content U.S. Trust: The Growth of Wind Power & Its Economic Affects From U.S. Trust The States Most Affected by Rising Sea Levels Zillow "It's not mandatory, it's voluntary," he said. "You come in bearing gifts. The usual gift is doughnuts but you are allowed to bring whatever you want to bring in."
photo And Pattison, a probationary firefighter, decided to bring a watermelon wrapped in a pink ribbon.
We're told some African-American firefighters were instantly offended since 90 percent of the people who work at Engine 55 are black.
"When you get your first detail at a firehouse you pretty much know what you are getting yourself into," said Patrick Trout. "So you would have to say it was probably a bad call."
FOX 2: "Is it racially insensitive to bring a watermelon into a fire house?"
"To some people," McCarty said.
FOX 2 spoke to Pattison by phone who claims it was not a joke - and he did not mean to offend his fellow firefighters. But he clearly did.
Fire Commissioner Eric Jones says the Fenton native was officially discharged.
In a statement Jones says: "There is zero tolerance for discriminatory behavior inside the Detroit Fire Department. On Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, at Engine 55, a trial firefighter (probationary employee) engaged in unsatisfactory work behavior which was deemed offensive and racially insensitive to members of the Detroit Fire Department.
"After a thorough investigation, it was determined that the best course of action was to terminate the employment of this probationary employee."
In a world where racial tensions run high, some tell me the trial firefighter should have known better. Trout doesn't know if he meant anything by it - but feels it was a bad choice.
"For sure by far it was,"
The question is did DFD take it too far?
FOX 2: "Should he have lost his job over a watermelon?"
"I don't think so," McCarty said. "Between what he did and what was there are a few things that could have been done."
How about an interview with him to see if there was racial intent?
And just like that, watermelon started disappearing from the world.
And how exactly is bringing a watermelon to work discriminatory?
Some people are so delicate that they are not worth working with. I’m just surprised to find firefighters in that category. He’s lucky he lost that job; putting his life in the hands of racists would have been a waste.
So, if a probationary employee in a police department had brought in donuts, would they be fired?
Do you think he would have been fired in the old days if he had brought Irish bread?
We are letting ONE minority run the country.
.
I love watermelon and I am not black.
Cheapskate. Shouda’ brought KFC.
Absolutely insane.
For some reason, I always see blacks getting orange drinks from soda machines. I will never, ever bring orange drinks to a fire station!
if he’d brought Fried Chicken they would have hung him on the spot!
Some people are looking to be offended by anything and everything.
Time to contact a lawyer. Illegal termination of employment.
Should have brought some purple drank and skittles.
” Should he have lost his job over a watermelon?”
Absolutely Not. Someone is giving you a gift.
Pitiful. Shame on Detroit Fire Dept. BTW, - If that’s how they run their fire dept., (?).... the guy is much better off, staying clear from people like that!
Is Popeye’s chicken better??
Lawsuit!!!
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