Three volunteer fire departments on Long Island, embroiled in controversy for displaying Confederate flags and engaging in discriminatory practices, have agreed to a settlement, the New York State Division of Human Rights has confirmed. Levittown, Brookhaven, and Holbrook fire departments not only will pay a combined total of $28,000 in fines but also have committed to removing Confederate flag imagery from their property and participating in state-mandated human rights laws training, according to the Gothamist report.
In a move addressing long-standing concerns of the community, the aforementioned fire departments will banish symbols that for many signify a history steeped in racism and division, the Confederate flags in question included an emblem on a Brookhaven fire truck and cartoon decals holding the controversial flag on Levittown fire vehicles and apparel, "a historical symbol of racism." The division's statement, obtained by the Long Island Business News, articulated that this symbolic representation conveys a discriminatory message not only to prospective fire department applicants but to the community at large.
The settlement further includes revamping the fire departments' membership applications to adhere to state law by eliminating questions pertaining to national origin and criminal history which were alleged to be part of their unlawful inquiries, these changes seek to refashion departments so as to reflect non-discriminatory practices and rebuild shaken public trust. Denise Miranda, the Human Rights Division's acting commissioner, stressed the critical role these services play, stating, “When services like these display symbols of racism or maintain policies that unlawfully discriminate against people who may want to join the department, it damages public trust and harms communities. Hate and discrimination have no place in New York State, and the Division of Human Rights will continue using every available tool to hold violators of the Human Rights Law accountable,” as noted by the Long Island Business News.
The Levittown and Holbrook departments, while they have declined to comment and the Brookhaven department has not responded to inquiries, must now undergo corrective measures, necessitating their district commissioners and members to receive Human Rights Law training, and subjecting them to review by the division over the next three years to ensure compliance. This resolution arrives against the challenge of declining volunteer membership across New York's fire companies, a drop of around 40,000 members over the past two decades, as reported by the Firefighters Association of the State of New York—a trend mirroring national patterns, claims about discriminatory membership policies, and application materials further alleging that the three fire departments unlawfully requested and considered information, in process, about applicants' national origin, religion, and other protected classes, according to a statement captured by Long Island Business News.
