The president of the St. Petersburg, Fla. branch of the NAACP is calling for the removal of the city’s fire chief after an anonymous city survey accused him of fostering a hostile work environment for employees of color and women, including not taking concerns of Black firefighters seriously.

The allegations were raised against St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Department Chief James D. Large, who has been in his position since 2006. He started his career in the department in 1974.

Large has said that the accusations against him are false, according to multiple news reports.

“It is clear that Fire Chief Large holds a disparaging stereotypical belief and that it hampers his ability to effectively lead the city’s fire department,” Esther Matthews, the group’s president, said at a City Council meeting Thursday, adding that she’d submitted a formal letter to Mayor Ken Welch calling for Large’s termination.

Welch has since placed Large on administrative leave with pay over the weekend as the case remains under review. The mayor also admitted that there have been allegations of bullying leveled against Large.

Stories like these are not uncommon at fire departments across the country. According to a 2023 study examining workplace patterns of fire service employees published in the Journal of Student Research, 55 percent of female participants have been or know someone who has been sexually harassed or assaulted by a coworker.

Female participants also reported being subjected to harmful work environments. Research conducted by the National Fire Protection Association found that 5 percent of career firefighters were women.

Yet, female firefighters have reported feeling unwelcome in some departments, according to a 2017 Drexel University study.

Matthews and the St. Petersburg NAACP branch aren’t the only ones concerned about Large’s conduct. She added that others with knowledge of departmental operations have reached out to the branch.

“The city of St. Petersburg deserves to have leaders who do not have a disdainful attitude towards their employees and also the residents of this city or who harbor views that are in direct conflict with human respect and human dignity,” Matthews said.

News of Large’s misconduct was first reported by the Tampa Bay Times, which spoke with seven active firefighters about their experiences in the department. Each of them described interactions that contributed to a hostile environment that included racist, sexist and homophobic comments.

One firefighter said that Large prepared a disciplinary inquiry for her for missing department education during a leave of absence, which she took after suffering a miscarriage.

The firefighter said that she was forced to recall the story of her miscarriage to high-ranking officials. Another firefighter accused Large of sexual harassment.

City Council members unanimously voted to hold a discussion about a potential management study on the St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Department on Aug. 24.

But residents of St. Petersburg remained divided over how to approach Large’s employment. At least three active-duty female firefighters spoke highly of him at the meeting during public comment.

Angela Munoz, a St. Petersburg firefighter, described a welcoming environment for women in the department.

“As long as we prove we are willing to work as hard and tirelessly as those around us, they welcome us with open arms,” she said.

However, concerned residents took issue with the high number of allegations brought against Large.

Bruce Nissen is one of those residents. “It’s obvious that there are several people here who work for the Fire Department who feel very good about it,” Nissen said.

“But it’s also very clear both from complaints that have been made and from investigations that have been done, that there are definite problems in the Fire Department in St. Petersburg,” he continued.

“Severe enough problems, I think, that in order to make the department work well, the chief needs to step down.”