The FDNY is investigating two videos shared with the Daily News that show incidents of apparent hazing against new firefighters by veterans, including making them do pushups face-first into cake, and forcing them to hug naked men.
In one of the videos, three firefighters are seen doing pushups, repeatedly smashing their faces into cakes on the floor as an off-camera voice counts up to 20. The video was filmed Sept. 25 or Sept. 26 at Engine 38, Ladder 51 in the Bronx, according to a source.
The second video appears to show three uniformed rookie firefighters lined up against the wall of a paddleball court awkwardly shaking hands and hugging two naked men wearing only shoes. The video was also filmed either Sept. 25 or Sept. 26, the source recounted.
The newest probationary class graduated to become firefighters on Sept. 25 at a ceremony at the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn.
“There is a clear breakdown in communications from the top down that this type of behavior has no place in the FDNY,” said attorney and former firefighter Pete Gleason after seeing the videos. “Regrettably, FDNY brass will scapegoat these underlings without self reflection on how the lack of leadership created this situation.”
Gleason is currently representing a fire marshal who alleges ongoing hazing by Chief Fire Marshal Daniel Flynn.
“It started several years ago when Flynn was a Lieutenant driving by my clients home blasting the horn and siren for no legitimate purpose and continues through the present with punitive assignments,” Gleason said. “If hazing at the level is acceptable then how can junior members of the department decipher what appropriate behavior is.”
An FDNY spokesperson said in response to the Daily News’ questions about the videos that “the FDNY has a zero-tolerance policy against hazing.”
“Once the Department became aware of the incident, we immediately launched an investigation,” the FDNY spokesperson said. “Some members have already been suspended, and further action will be taken as the investigation progresses. Hazing of any kind will never be tolerated.”
The FDNY code of conduct explicitly forbids hazing, adopting an anti-hazing policy in 2013 and in 2017, launched an investigation into whether there was a “culture of hazing” at the FDNY.
With Thomas Tracy and Graham Rayman
