One by one, Chouteau firefighters walked up to the mayor and council, handed in their radios and quit.

After a heated exchange moments later with Mayor Brenda Cunningham about staffing needs, Fire Chief Amber Williams announced: "So effective immediately, I also turn my resignation in and I stand with my volunteers."

The audience erupted in applause, supporting Williams' decision, KJRH reported.

Williams as well as Chouteau Police Chief James Turner and Assistant Police Chief Sam Tortet learned in various ways their jobs were on the chopping block.

Turner said he saw his potential firing on Facebook over the weekend while Williams saw it on the council's agenda that was posted on Oct. 9. 

"I have no disciplinary actions on my record. I have no write-ups. Nothing. We can't fix a problem we don't know about. But putting people on the agenda and intimidating them and bringing their name through the mud? That's not how you do things," Williams said.

At the begining of the meeting, Town Attorney Ben Sherrer told the crowd that the council could not proceed with the termination agenda items because the three responders had not been properly notified.

After Fire Capt. Doc Renner read his resignation letter to the council, at least eight volunteer firefighters followed suit and handed over their radios.

After giving the firefighters a standing ovation, members of the community then stood to jeer town leadership, including yells of, "You should be ashamed of yourselves."

For the time being, mutual aid companies will respond to emergencies in the town.