Why would firefighters fly a gigantic flag of disrespect and clueless lack of empathy for the lives of people they are willing to risk their own to save?

{ I submitted this text to the FDNY web site. Below is a Battalion Chief’s response}

I took this picture of a Blue Lives Matter flag on the back of an Engine Company 76 fire truck on West 96th Street NYC on Friday 11/13/20

Blue Lives Matter flags have one, mean spirited message — that the murder of George Floyd captured in this photo was just an isolated crime by a “bad apple” to be ignored instead of another episode in a national epidemic of out of control, racially biased, police violence.

Forget about right and wrong, you would think that firefighters and cops would get it that their jobs become more dangerous if people in the communities they serve see them as a hostile army of occupation to be feared and mistrusted.

FDNY Correspondence (FDNY) <Correspondence@fdny.nyc.gov>

7:30 AM (1 hour ago)

to me

Good morning Robert. I hope all is well with you and your family. On behalf of the Fire Commissioner, I am responding to your correspondence regarding one of our units displaying a flag on the apparatus. We train our firefighters to always be professional, courteous, and to operate and leave the scene as safe as possible. Recently, the FDNY has adopted a flag policy for our apparatus that the only flag to be flown is the American Flag. I will notify their superior officers and remind them of the updated policy. They will investigate and take appropriate action.

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

Have a nice day.

Respectfully,

Battalion Chief

Bureau of Operations

FDNY

9 Metro Tech Center

Brooklyn NY 11201

Dear Battalion Chief

Thank you for your prompt and appropriate response.

My feedback in no way impacts on my deep respect and appreciation for every member of the FDNY

Thank you

Bob Salzman