Two Toronto firefighters have been suspended for making sexist comments on Twitter, and an investigation into the incident has been launched, fire chief Jim Sales told CityNews.
“At the present time we’re doing an internal investigation. Through that process the firefighters have been suspended with pay pending our investigation,” he explained.
The controversy was first reported by the National Post earlier on Thursday.
In one message, Twitter user @Hero_Matt wrote, “Reject a woman and she will never let it go. One of the many defects of their kind. Also weak arms. Watching the Office. #Better than Seinfeld. ”
The account has since been suspended but the newspaper posted a screen grab of the tweet on its website.
Another Twitter user, @bassfire3680, responded to another person who had complained about a slow customer.
“Would swat her in the back of the head been considered abuse or a way to reset the brain?” he wrote.
That account is private.
The first tweet was posted on social media in November and the second was posted in June.
Sales said they don’t condone negativity brought to the city’s fire service by individual members or other members.
“I think any form of social media should reflect on the Toronto Fire Service positively when our staff are using it,” he said. “In the public domain it’s important for all of us to demonstrate a positive image of the Toronto Fire Service.”
Sales added that the service is considering these to be isolated incidents and not a reflection of a problem in the department.