Captain Vanessa Coleman has reported to ERASE a pattern of harassment that she is experiencing from her superiors in the DCFD. Today, when we are experiencing both strong thunderstorms and are on a tornado watch, she was ordered to take her truck from Engine 21 in Adams Morgan out of service and ordered to instead write a report that is relatively insignificant given the conditions, and not time-sensitive. This demonstrates a reckless disregard for the safety and lives of the people of the District whom she believes to be her highest priority to serve.
Attached is a copy of the report in question. As you can see, it does not merit the kind of priority demand that would require that her truck, with the current inclement weather and possibilities of tornado danger, be taken out of service to complete. This also demonstrates an inconsistency on the part of the Deputy Fire Chief in an earlier related matter. This same Deputy Fire Chief demanded a report earlier on; he then failed to endorse it, but passed it on to the person who has been harassing and bringing Captain Coleman up on charges, attempting to pin blame on her for the Mt. Pleasant fire.
The Report:
URGENT: Right now, in the earnest pursuit to harass and bring some sort of charge against the black female Captain of Engine 21 (Adams Morgan Firehouse) her Deputy Chief - Bloom - has ordered her to leave an active fire investigation call off of Cathedral Ave, and remain out of service at her firehouse, just so that she can rush the Deputy a special memo detailing her actions about why she didn't immediately discipline and send home her black male subordinate, a (much needed) paramedic who covers Adams Morgan, because he wasn't in full compliance with the "clean shave" grooming policy. To send him home would've caused their ambulance to be unmanned and unserviceable for the public. Therefore, the Captain chose the wiser option, using her discretion, to allow him time to shave and maintain his duty on the unit. This isn't rocket science. Yet, the Deputy seeks to punish the Captain for putting operational priorities first. Which is most important, keeping units in service for potential emergencies, or typing a memorandum?
What a shame!
What a shame!
Please review ERASE's blog to obtain a broad picture of the impact that a culture of racism, sexism, homophobism, nepotism and cronyism is having and how it is compromising the safety of the public. And please remember, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere!
Sincerely,
ERASE
4 comments:
First of all I'm not sure what a "Deputy Captain" is, I'll just assume you mean Deputy Chief. I've also never heard of "Deputy Chief Boone" however there is a Deputy Chief Bloom, and if he had anything to do with Captain Colman being put out of service to type a special report, I doubt it would be harassment or racism because suprise, suprise you guessed it Chief Bloom is African American. If she did not discipline a member that was not in compliance with the grooming policy, she should have to explain herself. I know a white officer that was given a suspension and transferred for not disciplining someone not in compliance with the grooming policy, what would you consider that? Believe it or not, not everything is racial.
Captain Coleman reminded her superiors that morale and discipline are compromised when rules are applied arbitrarily. If SHE was being punished for following what appears to have been Department procedure, ERASE would call that sexism - one of the many isms we are committed to ERASing. Also, white people aren't the only ones who can be racist toward Black people. Unfortunately, the only way some Black people can prove their worth to whites is to demonstrate their disdain for other less-favored Blacks. Have you ever heard of Clarence Thomas? But thanks for the correction, we are glad you are reading the blog. We want the Fire Department to socially and politically, as do we. We'd like to remind all our readers that wrong is wrong, no matter who does it.
If wrong is wrong then why won't she admit she is wrong instead of blaming everyone but herself for her wrong doing.
There are rules and regulations for a reason. They are there to follow and when you don't follow them you suffer the discipline.
I guess you can justify it cause she is a black female. I tired of reading about this crap, cause that is what it is all this is a bunch of crap.
I don't quite know the specifics which surrounds this "captain" that everyones all roused up and in distress about, but she must be in a class all by herself, and enough to justify shutting down a whole suppression unit just so they can read whats on her mind? Unbelievable, that's forbidden in my department? Thats either harassment or stupidity, or both.
Im glad I don't have to rely on your fire services. Boy!
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