Branford's Only Black Firefighter Given Watermelon Celebration 'Cake'

BRANFORD, CT — A photograph shared on Facebook depicting a watermelon as a celebratory "cake," for a Black Branford firefighter following successful weight-loss surgery and his birthday, has been removed after an outcry over racism inherent in the depiction.

Branford Fire Department EMT Jeremiah Brown posted the photo to his Facebook page and tagged a Branford firefighter in it.

The photo shows Brown with the celebratory watermelon "cake" and the caption: "LOL to my fire house family much love & thanks for the post bariatric surgery cake/watermelon. (2 smiley face emojis) We demolished this."

Fire Chief Thomas Mahoney told Patch by phone that he was "livid" when he learned about the photo and asked Brown to remove it.

Mahoney said that Brown, who has struggled with his weight, shared with fellow firefighters some of the foods he ate to help with his weight loss, watermelon being among them. Mahoney said Brown insisted he was the one who suggested a watermelon cake.

In an email provided to Patch, Brown told Mahoney that he'd worked Memorial Day weekend and, while wanting to celebrate his birthday, "the crews know I cannot have much of any food."

"During our conversation we spoke about things I liked and could eat, I told them watermelon was my favorite fruit and something I could tolerate safely eating," Brown told Mahoney in an email. "Yesterday, my amazing fire department surprised me with a watermelon (at my request) with candles and celebrated my birthday and new weight loss surgery."

In a Facebook message to Patch, Brown said that he's "just very upset about the situation and the way it was taken out of context."

But Mahoney said that he's concerned about the "lack of judgment on some people's parts," referring to firefighters involved.

"I was livid based on the historical context. Who would think that's OK?" Mahoney asked rhetorically. "This can be perceived in a completely different direction than being a celebration of his weight loss milestone."

Mahoney vowed to investigate who was involved in the incident.

"We have really strived to have a culture of inclusivity, and professionalism, and I have tried to articulate that from my level all the way up and down. You do the right thing even when no one is looking," Mahoney said. "When things like this happen, it's just crushing."

Brown is the only Black member of the Branford Fire Department. A New Haven native, Mahoney said, Brown's "been with us a long time" and is a part-time EMT with a "goal of becoming a firefighter paramedic."

Brown wrote in the email to Mahoney that he felt the watermelon cake was "a positive encouragement gesture from my team that I was very happy and thankful for. With their support and encouragement I’ve actually been extremely successful with the post op over reaching my goals. I can say with full truth that this was done in a loving, supportive way."

But a number of firefighters and area fire department officials that Patch spoke to said that the act was inappropriate and "tone-deaf."

Mahoney told Patch that the members of the fire department who were involved were off-duty Thursday and unavailable but that he'd be speaking with them and an investigation would be underway.