After a contentious meeting in a packed firehouse this week, the chiefs of the Bennington Rural Fire Department voted to restore all 15 members who had been suspended last week to active duty.
Chief Shawn Gardner said he made the decision to “try to move this department forward.”'
“It's not the decision we really wanted to make but it's the right decision for this time. We're going to just try to work on it from there and see what we can do to keep this department moving from here on out,” he said.
The firefighters had been suspended because they were believed to have been involved in lighting a camper on fire at a Mudder's Day event on May 12.
The “big finish” for the mud-bogging event was setting the camper on fire so a car could drive though it and video of the incident has been available on the internet.
The host of the event, Milo Campbell, was at the meeting and spoke strongly in favor of returning the firefighters to active duty.
He also accused Gardner of lying about not being aware that firefighters would be igniting the fire at Mudder's Day.
“Shawn, you're a liar. You're a liar and you know it. You can't look me in the eye and tell me you're not a liar. You've been there every year, you saw everything I do every year. You're a damn liar and I don't like 'em. You don't belong here. You're spineless,” he said.
Campbell and about a dozen others were wearing Hells Angels jackets or vests.
Chiefs at the fire department told the people at Tuesday's meeting that there had been four complaints made to the state the day after Mudder's Day about the fire.
The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation's Compliance and Enforcement Division responded with an investigation into whether the proper permits had been obtained.
While town officials said there has been no police investigation because no criminal activity is believed to have occurred, the state investigation could result in a fine being levied.
According to the chiefs, 15 members of the department, who included two captains and the chairman of the prudential committee, were suspended because the department's bylaws say that any member of the department who is being investigated or who is charged with a crime involving the fire department will be granted a leave of absence.
About 100 people were at the meeting at the fire department's Willow Road firehouse. Many of them made angry comments about Gardner, accusing him of not standing behind his men and calling for him to step down or suspend himself.
Chris Maiden, a Bennington Rural firefighter who was not suspended, said those members who were still serving were being forced to do extra work.
“We're hurting. We need our guys back. … We need them. You're putting my safety in jeopardy. I need my fellow brothers with me,” he said.
Roger Hughs, who is captain of Company One, said he was the one who lit the fire on Mudder's Day. He said he would accept suspension but asked that his men be spared.
While the chiefs said they planned to meet about the suspended firefighters later this week, after repeated requests from the crowd. they met in executive session for about 15 minutes. When they came out, Gardner said the suspensions were being lifted immediately.
After the meeting was over, Hughs said he was “beyond ecstatic” about the outcome and the community support.
“Just glad to be back, glad the way it turned out. Amazing turnout. It's a great feeling to see the community come together and support us. Been in for a long time and it means a lot, it really does. It's nice to see everybody support what we've done,” he said.
Campbell declined to comment after the meeting.
There are two fire departments in Bennington, the Bennington Fire Department which is overseen by the town and the Bennington Rural Fire Department which is funded by taxes collected within the fire district and overseen by a prudential committee.
On Monday, Joseph T. Hayes, a member of the prudential committee and fire department, was arraigned in Bennington District Court on a felony count of embezzlement.
Hayes, who pleaded innocent, was accused of being involved in a raffle which was supposed to benefit the department. However, police said some of the raffle's winners and the fire department itself were never given their winnings.
