PFD Commissioner Ayers: Hypocritical Martinet
By Wyatt Earp | July 9, 2011
Those of you who have watched the HBO series “Band of Brothers” are familiar with Captain Herbert Sobel. He was the despicable leader of Easy Company who earned the hatred of his men.
The Philly Fire Department has its own Captain Sobel, and .
Singing the National Anthem doesn’t usually get Battalion Chief John Grillone in trouble, but when a YouTube video surfaced of Grillone singing it in a firehouse, the Philadelphia Fire Commissioner charged that Grillone’s conduct was unbecoming. Grillone, a 38-year veteran, is seen singing, eating cookies and talking to co-workers in the video. There was some foul language used as well, but Grillone’s attorney, Alice Ballard, maintains the men were just simply having good clean fun.
Firefighter Charles Tizol was suspended without pay for 4 weeks, since he’s the one who posted the YouTube clips, which were made in the fall of 2009.
The videos were filmed at Engine 71. Grillone says at the time, he was just trying to boost morale after the deaths of three firefighters.
Wow, what a despicable person this Grillone (pictured) must be. I mean singing the National Anthem and joking with his fellow firefighters? The nerve! How dare he try to boost morale in a department that has been suffering through overwork and rolling brownouts of its stations? Grillone should be suspended immediately!
Of course, get to post YouTube videos of themselves shopping in a racist bookstore – in full uniform – with impunity. Interestingly, the last three high-profile – and highly controversial – disciplinary measures addressed by Ayers were the late Jack Slivinski, Tizol, and now, Grillone. All three of these men are white.
Commissioner, do the department – and the city – a favor: resign at once!
Topics: Philly | 12 Comments »
July 9th, 2011 at 2:02 pm
When I read this last night I was very confused as to why he was suspended. Then, when I read the reason why he was singing, I became even more confused by the suspension. I dare say, as in any profession, there is behavior worthy of discipline. His actions certainly are not.
July 9th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
One wonders how these losers rise to the top. It is unbelievable how this stuff is happening and approved. This is not a leader by any definition in my view.
July 9th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
I had to read this 3 times and the third time slowly. Are you kidding me? Singing the National Anthem and having it on YouTube is an issue?? I can’t get my head around this. The news is saying there are currently no rules against use of social media, so WTF???
I need to move further from that cesspool city!! 20 miles ain’t enough to get away from the stink!
July 9th, 2011 at 5:06 pm
RT – Exactly.
Ralph – I would welcome a comment from any current or former member of the PFD who apprvoes of Ayers’ actions here. I know a lot of firefighters – of all races – and I have yet to talk to any of them that like this man. I’m sure some do; but I haven’t met them yet.
Danny – This is a man who regularly shops at a “black book store” and appears in a YouTube video (in full uniform) supporting the business. So, he violates his own “policy” from the get-go. Now, there’s no policy, but he already hung one firefighter and is trying to hang another. For what reason?
There is no policy, and Ayers already did what Grillone is accused of. So . . . I don’t want to say this is race-related, but I’d like to see the reasons for the discipline. If it’s not race-related, prove it.
July 9th, 2011 at 7:21 pm
That just makes NO sense… But then again, that IS Philly… sigh.
July 9th, 2011 at 8:31 pm
Ayers is a bigot racist go after some of the bad apples. What about the person working the squad who sexual assault and the city did nothing. nutter needs to fire him now. This should be made a campaign issue on the fitness of the some of the leadership in PFD.
Patriotism is lost in the some of the city leadership. Cannot place the flag at half staff, have a flag on the back of the helmet.
July 9th, 2011 at 10:42 pm
Lordy, lordy after reading that I need a 40! What a d-bag.
July 9th, 2011 at 11:52 pm
Old NFO – as I said at AoS this explains what is wrong with Philly in a nutshell.
McMedic – Instead of focusing on this nonsense, he should be going after the ones with real disciplinary issues. At best, this makes Ayers look incompetent. At worst, it makes him look like a racist.
MPFS – Most of his firefighters despise him, and it’s stories like this that make those feelings justified.
July 10th, 2011 at 3:25 am
Doesn’t this just make you a true believer in affirmative action? The Peter Principle is working to the Nth degree here. This bigoted rascist has been promoted far above his level of competence.
July 10th, 2011 at 7:41 am
Now, this makes me kind of worried. I bought a bumper sticker that says “Jesus Christ Real Change You can Believe In”. I’m wondering if I am going to hauled down to HR sometime next week because the sticker offends some of my fellow co-workers whom drive a Prius and have either Gay Pride or Obama/Biden ’08 stickers.
July 10th, 2011 at 1:03 pm
I dare you to go to the B&N site, pretty much sums up everything that is wrong with that demographic on the first page. While it may share the same initials as Barnes & Nobel, I doubt you’ll find much in the way of literature there. Ralph Ellison is probably rolling in his grave.
July 10th, 2011 at 6:57 pm
Lloyd Ayers — the correct answer in “Spot the Looney!”