One firefighter recruit has been fired and three others resigned because of a noose found hanging over a black firefighter’s seat, Pompano fire officials say. An investigation into the noose, which was found at the Pompano Beach Fire Training Center, concluded Wednesday.
Pompano Beach Fire Chief John Jurgle said he acted as soon as he heard last month about the racist symbol, which was directed at the only black recruit in a class of six. The noose was found June 7 on the recruits’ last day of training, he said.
The noose is a symbol of racial hatred, representing the lynchings of blacks, particularly by mobs in the South after the Civil War.
“It’s a very serious, unfortunate incident that happened,” Jurgle said. “We’re professional firefighters. We’re not going to tolerate this kind of thing.”