INVESTIGATIONS are underway into claims that firefighters in Dorset's fire service photographed women who had died in car crashes and shared them on WhatsApp.
Whistleblowers within Dorset & Wiltshire Fire Service approached ITV News over alleged activity where male firefighters made degrading comments about the deceased victims – including about their underwear.
Police have launched an investigation into the claims and the fire service has also launched its own independent review.
One female firefighter, speaking anonymously, told ITV News: “I've seen people make comments about the type of underwear the women are wearing in the car crash.
“Retrieving the body of someone dead should tear you apart, not make you want to take photos of it, just to joke about it later.
“Because that's someone's loved one, isn't it? That's someone's relative.”
The service’s chief fire officer Ben Ansell said he was “extremely shocked and appalled” to hear about the allegations but defended the “vast majority” of staff as “good people”.
Several female firefighters told ITV News of alleged sexual harassment within their stations, including one male firefighter demanding sexual favours at the scene of a fire.
The women also shared dozens of explicit photographs and messages they had been sent unsolicited by male colleagues, including demands for sex, ITV News said.
One woman said: “It makes you feel kind of worthless and deflated because we train so hard to get in and then to do the job.
“I'd never want to see a picture like that and it repulses you, and then you have to go back to work.”
In response, chief fire officer Ben Ansell said in a statement: “The matters you have raised with us are deeply concerning and we take allegations of this nature extremely seriously.
“As allegations of criminal behaviour are involved, we have immediately alerted the police so the appropriate action can be taken.
“I am also commissioning an independent investigation. As part of this investigation, I will be providing all of our female staff with the opportunity to speak to an independent organisation. It is vital to have their help in identifying any inappropriate behaviour – in a modern fire and rescue service there is absolutely no place for it.
“There is an expectation for our staff to work in line with our code of ethics which sets out high levels of expected behaviours. The vast majority of our staff are good people, working hard and doing a great job. But when and if those standards are not met, we will move quickly to address it.
“Where people do come forward with concerns, we conduct thorough investigations in accordance with our disciplinary procedures.
“We are unable to comment on individual cases, but what we can say is that we continue to work to ensure that our organisation is a safe place, where staff feel able to report concerns of inappropriate conduct or behaviour.
“We are extremely shocked and appalled to hear about these allegations. We would ask that ITN or any individuals affected, provide us with further information to allow us to investigate these allegations and to enable us to offer our support to them.”
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