Ernie Hase III, aka Plugger, is being investigated for reportedly uploading photos of himself in his department gear on an online dating site. Hase is a member of Liberty Fire Company No. 2, in Bangor, PA.
He posted pictures on Fubar.com, an online dating site. Some of those pictures include him dressing up in his turnout gear. Those pictures and his profile are no longer accessible without logging in.
In several of the photos, which had been accessible to all, Hase shows himself flexing shirtless in his fire helmet and fire pants. At least two photos showed him with his fire pants’ fly folded open and his underwear exposed. Read more at lehighvalleylive.com
The problem with Hase’s pictures are that they are against department policy.
Read the entire report from LehighValleyLive.com for more details on this story.
Ernie "Plugger" Hase III. Fubar.com photo
Fire Chief Robert Owens offered this written statement on Wednesday:
“The Bangor Fire Department issues personal protective gear for the use of our firefighters during an emergency situation. The gear is to be used only for that purpose and the use of the gear as depicted in these photos is in violation of the policies of the department. This matter will be addressed by a disciplinary committee, as is our standard procedure for such policy violations,”…
…“The gear must be with our volunteers so that they can go directly to the incident 24 hours per day and seven days per week. We cannot possibly monitor the actions of our members 24 hours per day and seven days per week as is true for any volunteer organization. We are not aware of any other firefighters who are violating department policies in a similar fashion, but should we learn of any such violations, they too will be subject to the ruling of the disciplinary committee.”
What do you think? Is this behavior acceptable? Should he be disciplined? What should the discipline be?
oh geeeez.
c’mon guys, leave the dude alone.
was his pecker out? no.
was in the middle of having sex with barnyard animules? no.
was he a US Congressman showing his tool in the gym? No.
He’s a fireman looking to meet a lady. This political correctness is gonna ruin our lives.
Rules are rules…
It doesn’t bother me. I am not looking to date firefighters.
We have to have rules. If we cannot follow rules everything will go to crap.
My opinion…
If there is a written department policy prohibiting this behavior, then it is unacceptable. Period.
Apart from the department policy, I think the whole “dress in my turnout gear/FD t-shirt to get dates” idea is ridiculous and unacceptable in itself. Not because it reflects poorly on the department, but because it reflects poorly on this man’s reputation and shows his lack of self-respect and dignity.
In addition, I think the fact that he painted “plugger” on his bare chest, and expected it to get him some “action”, is reason enough for discipline. Not for violating department policy, but for violating the Man Code.
Lt. Lemon
Dumb!
So I guess Ernie “Plugger” Hase III is that “Hard Up’ for a date he needs to do this?
Too bad. I think he may be one who is of a similiar mind as in one: “Jerry Engle” fomerly of Prince Georges County FD, Kentland E-33, who drove around in his VW Bug, with FD Tools bolted on his car and was Video taped shooting Roman Candles out of his pants at the fire station.
Jerry by the way is now “Doing Time” in Prison for: Arson.
Plugger, if you get a second chance with your VFD; “Straighten Up and Fly Right”!
What’s the point in asking questions if you won’t approve our answers for posting, Rhett?
Guys, sorry about the comments taking a while to get on here…I was not getting notified of new comments. I am fixing the issue now!
No problem. I saw ukfbuff’s comment go live, but not mine…even though I left mine hours before him.
I just thought you were being stuck up…