In light of a story we originally investigated and brought to light, regarding Nashville Fire Department’s EMS District Chief Tim Lankford, and his social media blunders – he has been suspended, without pay, for 10 days, and must attend diversity awareness training.
Lankford recently claimed that the comments were ‘because of the death of this wife, though that was proven to not be true.
It’s worth nothing, that NFD Public Information Officer, Brian Haas, has still declined to provide ENN any information on the matter, despite multiple open records requests to both him and the city.
You can see all of our coverage of Lankford & the Nashville Fire Department below:
- Nashville Fire Department – Original Tim Lankford Post
- Tim Lankford: President of an EMS Education Non-Profit, Despite Prejudiced Online Comments
- Nashville Fire EMT Laura Huffstuttler: Issues Vague Threat to EastNashville.news
- Nashville Fire District Chief Tim Lankford “So Disturbed” by Gay Marriage Ruling, He Can “Barely Even Function” at His Job
- Nashville Fire Department: Employees & Salaries
- VIDEO: Nashville Fire Department: VIDEO! Stop the Engine! Stripping for a Drag Queen while on Duty!
- Nashville Fire Department: Firefighters Taking Pics While Fighting Fires & Selfies at Scenes?
- Nashville Fire Department: Response from Local 140 Union, Social Media Policy Released
- Nashville Firefighter Tim Lankford Pulled From Field & on Administrative Duty While Investigation Continues
- Nashville Fire Chief Holt’s Letter to Tim Lankford & Notice of Disciplinary Charges
- Tim Lankford LIES to Disciplinary Board of Nashville Fire Department
Nashville’s Out & About Newspaper quotes Chris Sanders, of the Tennessee Equality Project, who lauded Nashville government in the context of LGBT engagement in other Tennessee cities.
“NFD is enforcing its social media policy,” he said. “Based on my travels around the state, Metro is observing a higher standard than the vast majority of cities in Tennessee. We should look at whether that is enough. My ongoing concern, besides the climate these incidents create for fellow employees, is that Metro department leaders be vigilant in making sure that employees are hired, promoted, disciplined, and terminated without regard to their sexual orientation or gender identity. That is what the 2009 Metro ordinance requires.”
Apparently it is OK, per the Nashville Fire Department, to stop your engine, block traffic, get out and strip in the middle of the road, with drag queens, and receive no action for it, while on duty:
Diversity training had already been mandated for all Metro employees by Mayor Megan Barry, but Lankford had not yet attended. It’s also relevant to note that many NFD personnel still have the department listed as their employer, and their profile photos of them in uniform and with NFD logos on their profile, both of which are discouraged, if not disallowed, by the current social media policy of the Nashville Fire Department. We have received reports, as recently as yesterday, or NFD employees still making inappropriate remarks in public groups on social media, and will be following up with those going forward.
Even though we brought to light many instances of rank and file NFD employees not following the departments social media policy, it is believed that Lankford, a District Chief, was chosen to use as an example, so that multiple others did not have to receive similar suspensions. It is unclear if those brought to light going forward will be as lucky in not receiving any repercussions from their actions.
