Texas Lieutenant Fired Over Hosing

Oct. 18, 2004
The band and color guard were hosed down as part of a spirit-motivating exercise.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - A veteran firefighter from the Southlake Department of Public Safety has been fired for supervising the hosing down of the Southlake Carroll band and color guard, injuring 13 students.

Also, a firefighter was suspended without pay for 120 days and a fire captain was given a one-day suspension without pay for involvement in the Aug. 4 event in the parking lot of Carroll High School.

Fire Lt. Jeff Powell, a 14-year veteran, was fired Wednesday.

``In the city of Southlake, our supervisors are held to a higher level of accountability,'' Rick Black, city DPS director, said in Saturday's editions of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Firefighter Clif Altom was given the 120-day suspension and Fire Capt. Mike Starr was given the one-day suspension. Altom was operating the water gun that sprayed the students, according to DPS reports. Starr assigned the event.

An internal investigation showed the three employees violated department safety policies. At times, the students were hit directly by the water; it was not directed over their heads, according to Southlake reports.

``I think it was a very unfortunate incident,'' said Jan Nelson, of Southlake, whose 14-year-old daughter suffered a sprained knee in the incident. ``Had my daughter been the one who had a major amount of problems, I would probably feel differently.''

One color guard student, Liz Schmiedel, 16, suffered a knocked-out tooth, three loosened and chipped teeth and abrasions to her lips, chin, hip, knees, hand and wrist.

The band and color guard were hosed down as part of a spirit-motivating exercise.

According to public safety reports, the students were told as practice ended that ``wet weather'' was on the way and that those who wanted to get wet should empty their pockets. The director told students it was voluntary.

Minutes later, a firetruck arrived and began spraying the students.

``The investigation showed that the firefighters did not act maliciously, they only had good intentions,'' Black said. ``But the public expects safety officials to use good judgment 100 percent of the time.''

The Carroll school district also conducted an investigation, but a spokesman would not say whether any employee would be disciplined. The district no longer will have activities involving ``high-pressure water.''

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