A directive from the Board of Fire Commissioners to have American flags removed from fire trucks in a Town of Poughkeepsie fire district has proved to be a controversial decision.
Arlington Fire District Fire Chief Tory Gallante says he held a ceremony Tuesday to remove the flags from three trucks.
“I have received a ton of emails, phone calls, visitors, 99.9 percent of people expressing their anger and stuff with having the flags removed,” Gallante says. “Obviously, I was very upset with the Board’s directive as was the department personnel.”
The directive arose from an August 15 board meeting, where some fire commissioners said the flags were a liability. Gallante says the Board of Fire Commissioners chairman called him Wednesday and they, along with others, are slated to meet Thursday afternoon on the flag issue.
