NEWS - Where's the fire?

Last week, the Jacksonville Human Rights Commission released a report on racism in the Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department (JFRD). The report was mostly a scathing report, that made the JFRD sound like an anarchic haven of racism and bullying, the final draft culminating in the recommendation that the fire chief be fired.

Don't get me wrong--it is unacceptable for the government to discriminate against any citizen. That said, I focus on the very first sentence of the story about the report--it reads, "A preliminary report issued by the Jacksonville Human Rights Commission found Jacksonville Fire Rescue to be one of the best fire departments in America for fighting fires and saving lives." Firefighters and paramedics should be proficient at saving peoples' lives and property. That they might not be the most politically-correct, culturally-sensitive individuals is a much less important consideration. I would hope attempts to end discrimination within the JFRD don't create disruptions that might compromise the safety of the community in general.