Disciplined St. Lucie County firefighters question district transparency
ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. —
During Wednesday’s St. Lucie County Fire District meeting, the community urged the district to reinstate the disciplined firefighters, alleging the investigation into hazing incidents was limited and mischaracterized.
“Even after being fired, we’re still here today trying to fix the process,” said Jordon Hutchinson, one of the terminated firefighters.
Left to right: Christopher Baldwin and Jordon Hutchinson
The fire district disciplined five firefighters following an independent investigation into alleged hazing incidents. Videos surfaced that appeared to show the firefighters administering electric shocks to newer employees. Three firefighters were terminated, and now they are questioning the integrity of the investigation.
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“We were held accountable. They need to be held accountable,” Hutchinson said.
The former firefighters are calling the disciplinary action retaliation for filing complaints against district leadership.
At Wednesday’s meeting, many residents argued that the investigation produced a limited report, with some allegations reviewed internally and others by independent investigators.
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“I’m asking you to respectfully bring these firefighters home,” a resident said.
At the meeting, a motion was made to suspend the district chief and attorney, but the vote failed 4-1.
The dispute has now moved to arbitration.