A mocking poster found at a San Francisco fire station has triggered the reassignment of nine officers, including four lieutenants, two captains and three battalion chiefs.
The poster turned up last month at Fire Station No. 8 on Bluxome Street in the South Beach neighborhood. It targeted several female firefighters and one male firefighter who were on leave. Fire officials found it posted in a common area during a routine visit to the station.
The top of the poster read, “Stress…it’s an epidemic!” Below that, a section stated: “California state hospital for the criminally insane. Restricted area. No weapons beyond this point,” with an arrow pointing to three people pictured on the right. A small strip at the bottom read, “Station 8 INVESTIGATES.” The poster also mocked one firefighter for having an allergy to turnout gear, the flame-retardant clothing firefighters wear on the job.
It is not known who made the poster. Fire officials are still investigating.
San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen, who took over the department in January of last year, told a group of female firefighters he considered the poster “inappropriate and derogatory.” He followed up with a department-wide memo warning against workplace harassment.
“Upholding a respectful and professional environment is essential to the safety, trust, and integrity of our department,” Crispen wrote earlier this month.
The department confirmed publicly that it took corrective action after becoming “aware of potentially inappropriate material posted at a workplace.”
“The San Francisco Fire Department is committed to promoting and maintaining a safe and healthy work environment where every individual is treated with civility, dignity, and respect,” the department said.
The nine reassigned officers have been moved away from Station No. 8 as the investigation continues, according to a department official.
