Flying the US Flag from Fire Trucks Akin to ISIS? This Official Thinks So

A Rhode Island fire department is in the national spotlight after its chairman requested firefighters not fly American flags on the back of the district's fire trucks.

Central Coventry Fire District Chairman Fred Gralinski made the request more than a year ago at a board meeting, NBC 10 News reports. However, the local news station said "the recording resurfaced a couple weeks ago," when firefighters said they were being told not to fly the flags.

"They look like a bunch of yahoos," Gralinski said. "Like in the paper, like ISIS (in) Syria going to take over a city. I don't think they need that big flag on the back of the truck. That's not America to me. Those are a bunch of terrorists. So, I'm going to ask you to take the flag off the truck."

According to NBC 10 News, Gralinski recently described that statement as a poor choice of words and apologized.

"I guess I got a little personal on things," he said. "For that, I apologize to anyone I insulted about the flag, I do. It was never meant about the flag."

Still, Rhode Island state Rep. Bobby Nardolillo wants Gralinski to resign.

"People are extremely disappointed," Nardolillo told NBC 10 News. "There are certain groups and individuals who are actually quite offended - the veterans, the police, the fire (departments)."

"The nation's flag was really disrespected and then the offensive language about those fire service professionals being compared to terrorists was totally inappropriate," Nardolillo continued.

Independent Journal reports that Central Coventry Fire District spokesman Gregg Perry said firefighters are not being asked to take down the American flags from fire trucks.

However, Perry said they want to ask the military what is protocol when it comes to displaying flags.