I was a volunteer firefighter for nearly ten years; I kept an American flag decal on my helmet. If it burned up on a call, I put on another; it’s just a fireman thing. They are generally very patriotic. So, needless to say this story from FireFightingNews.com fired me up… no pun intended.

A Chester City firefighter was suspended without pay yesterday for refusing to remove an American flag sticker from his locker. James Krapf, an 11-year veteran of the department, could face more days of suspension if he does not remove the sticker, Fire Commissioner James Johnson said.

Johnson directed the force’s 61 members to remove all decorations from the outside of their lockers over the summer after a firefighter posted a cartoon that others found offensive. The drawing, which firefighters said was posted by a black colleague, showed two black men and included a racial slur.

Firefighters can post personal items inside the lockers, but the outside must remain “free of alteration,” according to the directive.

Some firefighters didn’t think the American flag was included in the ban…

And, would they think the flag wasn’t in the ban? Perhaps, because it’s sewn on their uniform, or maybe because there is one on all the apparatus; what about the big one on the pole out front. Hmm, our mistake.

“The directive says ‘everything,’ ” said Capt. John Barbato, vice president of the department’s union. “I never would’ve thought the American flag would be included in that.”

Yesterday, almost seven weeks after the order went into effect, 11 firefighters were notified that they were still in violation.

Krapf removed a union sticker and a picture of a truck, but refused to scrape off the flag, a one-inch-square sticker that has adorned his locker for a couple of years, he said.

“Anybody who finds the American flag offensive shouldn’t be working there,” Krapf said yesterday.

Well, there you go James, getting all snobbish-American… this land is a melting pot; everyone is able to keep their culture and heritage, even if that heritage includes hatred of… well, you get the point. 

“I said, ‘No disrespect, Chief, but I’m not scraping that sticker off my locker.’ He said, ‘OK. Go home.’ ”

Banning all materials from locker doors was the simplest way to avoid bickering among the staff, Johnson said.

“How do we know what offends who?” he said. “I have to play Solomon here.”

Solomon, as in wise Solomon? I am pretty sure, the wisdom of Solomon would have told him not to make such a ridiculous, knee jerk, sweeping policy. Wisdom is the do what’s right regardless of consequence, not making sure there is not consequence.

Johnson said Krapf would face a two-day suspension if he did not remove the sticker today. Next would come a three-day suspension, and then the matter would go before the mayor and council and could go to arbitration, officials said.

Walter Miles Jr., the city councilman who oversees public safety, said he did not know all the specifics of the incident. “I strongly back my fire commissioner,” he said. “A directive is a directive.”

The Chester City Fire Department has worked without a contract since 2007. Johnson said the handful of firefighters making a fuss over the stickers were trying to gain sympathy from the public during contract negotiations, an allegation Krapf denied.

Krapf, 31, said he hoped to speak with the union and the commissioner today and reach a compromise. He doesn’t want to miss more pay, and he’s worried that this will be a negative mark on his record.

“I certainly can’t afford to lose a day’s pay, but it’s something I believe in,” he said.

 Now that’s the wisdom of Solomon.