Commissioners Order Upstate NY Department Take American Flags Off Fire Trucks

In this Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016 photo, firefighters remove American flags from a fire truck in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Fire Commissioners Board Chairman Jim Beretta says the board saw the flags as a "liability during norma... In this Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016 photo, firefighters remove American flags from a fire truck in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Fire Commissioners Board Chairman Jim Beretta says the board saw the flags as a "liability during normal operations for our people and other motorists." The flags were recently put up at the request of the union. Fire Chief Tory Gallante says he's "very disappointed" with the order. (Nina Schutzman/Poughkeepsie Journal via AP) MORE LESS

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (AP) — Fire commissioners in upstate New York have ordered a department to take American flags off its trucks, sparking a heated online debate.

The Poughkeepsie Journal reports (http://pojonews.co/2bApYs7 ) the flags were removed Tuesday from the Arlington Fire District trucks in the town of Poughkeepsie following Monday’s order.

Arlington Fire Commissioners Board Chairman Jim Beretta tells the newspaper the majority of the board saw the flags as a “liability during normal operations for our people and other motorists.”

The Journal reports the flags were recently put up at the request of the union. Fire Chief Tory Gallante says he’s “very disappointed” with the order.

The newspaper says some online commenters are outraged by the decision. Others believe the mounted flags violated U.S. flag code.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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  1. Avatar for marby marby says:

    There’s way too much to work for and worry about in our world to spend time arguing about the placement of American flags.

  2. Put stickers on the trucks instead of flying flammable cloth. This is not a bleeping problem.

  3. Avatar for ratel ratel says:

    If there is one square inch of anything not slathered in flags then the terrorists have won.

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