At a meeting in January between multiple fire departments that was held on Zoom, members of the Briarcliffe Fire Company were overheard making racist comments and joking about an eight-year-old shooting victim.
The firefighters making the remarks apparently thought the meeting was over and were unaware they were being recorded, Delco Times Reports.
Darby Township suspended the Briarcliffe Fire Company — one of three in the township — and directed dispatchers not to send any calls to the department on Wednesday.
The suspension will last 30 days while town officials and the fire chief complete an investigation into the matter.
The meeting was being held to discuss merging the three fire departments. After the meeting, firefighters used racist terms and made a joke about the name of 8-year-old Fanta Bility, killed in a 2021 accidental police shooting.
Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer Thursday said his office will be investigating the incident to determine if the incident constitutes a crime.
