Hazing, and living, at the firehouse
Re “For firefighter, sense of brotherhood shattered,” Dec. 14
It seems to me that if you want to stop the frat house atmosphere and antics at firehouses, then firefighters should stop living at firehouses. I don’t know why firefighters have traditionally worked 24-hour shifts, which require them to live, eat, shower and sleep at the firehouse. A lot of problems with sleeping and shower arrangements would be eliminated if firefighters worked a normal shift like everyone else. There also would be less down time for them to play pranks on fellow workers. Police officers do not live at the police station, so why do firefighters?
I would much rather have someone respond to my emergency who has been on duty for eight to 10 hours than someone who might have been on duty for 23 hours.
LINDA BROWNE
Granada Hills
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It is good to know that The Times has Los Angeles taxpayers in mind in putting these heartbreaking articles about firefighter Tennie Pierce on the front page. Here is a person who hazed other firefighters and now is crying foul after the hazing turned on him. With the Dec. 7 Op-Ed article written by his lawyer, and now a full news article, how can Pierce lose in the court of public opinion?
FRANCES L. MARTIN
Torrance
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