A concerned resident reported to FFRF that Palm Beach County in Florida had been displaying Latin crosses on its fire trucks and ambulances to commemorate fallen firefighters and EMTs. FFRF wrote to the county on Jan. 19 emphasizing that while it has no objection to memorializing emergency responders, it is unlawful for a county government to display patently religious symbols.
“Our objection is to the message of endorsement of religion over nonreligion,” wrote FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Chris Line. “These crosses send a message to minority religions and nonreligious emergency responders that their service is less valuable than that of their Christian co-workers.”
An attorney representing Palm Beach County responded on Feb. 6 informing FFRF that the fire rescue squad would be removing the cross stickers from their emergency vehicles.
