SAN LORENZO — A racially insensitive greeting card that firefighters created to mark the Chinese New Year has prompted an internal investigation at the Alameda County Fire Department.
The card shows firefighters wearing pointed bamboo hats on a fire truck tossing fireworks, including one who’s apparently crouched as if pulling the vehicle as a rickshaw and another who is lifting up a fellow firefighter next to the vehicle, implying that Asians are too short to work as firefighters, according to Carl Chan, vice president of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce.
“Wishing you prosperity and blessings for the New Year,” the card said. “From our village to yours!”
“Truly, racially offensive,” Chan said.
“At first, I thought it was a joke and could not be real,” said Chan, who learned about the card from a reporter in the Chinese-American media. “I was very upset. It showed images that were stereotypical and that are unacceptable.”
The reporter, who works for Sky Link TV, which provides Cantonese and Mandarin programming in the Bay Area, contacted Chan after obtaining a physical copy of the card and forwarded him electronic images of it.
It was not known how many people may have received the card. But Chan said Chief David Rocha told him that the card was only sent to Alameda County fire stations. The department has 30 stations, according to its website.
It also was not known whether the firefighters depicted were on duty when the images were created. However, they are wearing uniforms in the photos.
The card came from Station 22 at 427 Paseo Grande, which houses an engine company and responds to emergencies throughout San Lorenzo.
“The (department) is taking this issue very seriously,” Rocha said in a statement. “It is inconsistent with our values and the respect we demand our employees demonstrate toward the communities we serve. The matter is under investigation as a personnel matter; as such, we have no further comment.”
No information was available on whether the firefighters might be facing disciplinary action.
Alameda County Board of Supervisors President Richard Valle called the card “unacceptable” in a letter to residents on Wednesday.
Echoing Rocha, Valle said the card “is not a reflection of the high standards and expectations of performance we have for our public servants, especially those providing essential public safety services to our diverse communities.”
The supervisor also said he expects “appropriate action” will be taken after the investigation into the card is completed.
Chan said he has spoken with Rocha about the card.
He also is calling for an investigation into allegations of “workplace hostility and harassment” at the department made in through an unsigned April 29 letter he received from someone claiming to be a former Alameda County Fire Department employee.
“I think we should start looking into these allegations and all these issues,” Chan said.
