A video of an Alameda County firefighter directing racist remarks at a driver during a heated exchange has been circulating on social media, prompting the firefighter's temporary suspension.
After a car accident in Lodi, the off-duty firefighter approached the other driver's window and accused him of not letting him pass on the highway. He proceeded to call the driver a “Mexican idiot” and a “fucking Filipino,” among other inflammatory comments in a three-minute exchange the driver recorded last week.
The driver, Vath Touch, called the firefighter a racist and urged him to let the police handle the situation. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“I'm not a racist, I'm a firefighter,” the man replied.
Alameda County Fire Chief William McDonald confirmed at a news conference Monday that the man in the video was an Alameda County firefighter who has been placed on administrative leave.
A fire department spokesman said he would not release the firefighter's identity at this time.
The investigation is ongoing and will determine whether the firefighter, who has been with the organization since 2004, will face further consequences beyond administrative leave, McDonald said.
“This type of behavior does not represent who we are as a department or the values we strive to uphold every day,” he said. “I want to sincerely apologize on behalf of the firefighter and our department for his actions.”
The fire department is currently evaluating sensitivity training and guidance for staff, McDonald added.
The TikTok video has since been viewed more than 500,000 times.
