The mother of a ten-year-old girl who was profanely berated by a Long Island, NY fire chief said that her daughter was “failed” by the first responder who was caught on video telling the child to “shut the f**k up” as she was loaded into an ambulance.
In the shocking video, which has gone viral on social media, North Babylon Volunteer Fire Company Chief Peter Alt is heard shouting at the crying girl who is strapped to a stretcher, sparking outrage that led to the 22-year-old veteran being stripped of his duties while the incident is investigated.
“Shut the f**k up! It’s like this with you every f**king week,” Alt shouted at the child in the video, which was recorded by a neighbor.
A Long Island fire chief is “relieved of his duties after telling a child in distress to shut the F up
… LISTEN IN pic.twitter.com/679SJE6S7e
— Nightcap Crimes (@NightcapCrimes) August 6, 2025
“I don’t want to go,” wailed the child. “I want to go home,” to which Alt responded, “Shut your mouth,” as the ambulance doors closed.
“He failed her,” said the girl’s mother, according to the New York Post, which cited reporting from Newsday. “At no point should a child or human be spoken to like that ever.”
The video has gotten more than 4.5 million views since it was uploaded to TikTok on Monday.
The girl’s mom, who did not want to be named, said that the incident left her daughter “scared” and that she fears she will “lose faith” in the police and the fire department after she was traumatized by the f-bombs hurled at her by the fire chief.
According to the girl’s grandmother, who wasn’t home at the time, she told NBC New York that her daughter called the police after the child became “emotionally overwhelmed” after having her phone taken away, and that the cops have always been pleasant and professional in the past.
“Maybe it was a blessing I wasn’t there,” the grandmother said, “because I would have jumped all over this guy.”
“She needed my help and needed my protection, but I wasn’t there,” she added, “When you call for help — the police, the fire department — they’re supposed to help you. Not treat you like garbage. And curse at a child at that.”
“We have become aware of an incident which occurred last night, August 4, 2025, between a member of the North Babylon Fire Company and a minor during an aided call wherein the member is alleged to have used inappropriate language toward the minor,” the North Babylon Volunteer Fire Company said in a Tuesday press release.
North Babylon chief relieved of duty after appearing to tell an upset 10-year-old to STFUhttps://t.co/gfEWdj6h6q pic.twitter.com/SGWldj80Wj
— NYC EMS Watch (@NYCEMSwatch) August 6, 2025
“The member has been relieved of all of his duties pending a full and thorough investigation, whereupon appropriate action will be taken. The Fire Company is presently reviewing all of its training, policies, and procedures, and will determine if further training with respect to responding to emergency calls is required. The Fire Company does not condone this behavior and deems it unacceptable,” the statement read.
X users reacted to the incident, with some expressing the opinion that the fire chief needs to find a new line of work.
Probably not the right line of work to be in if you’re gonna do that
— Washingtons ghost (@washghost1) August 6, 2025
That’s a very bad look. People are fired for less, especially a fire chief.
— Perfunctory (@pfunkin1) August 6, 2025
If accurate, this first responder should now be looking for new employment.
— Brian Norton (@BWNort) August 6, 2025
What a douchebag.
— Héctor (@hrfdez) August 6, 2025
You would be amazed at how many shitty people are working jobs where they have daily direct contact with the people and it is unacceptable.
They treat others terrible and need a lesson on what their oath means and what public service really is.
— Charlie Sunshine (@ChuckSunshine) August 6, 2025
This appears to have been a mental health call. If this is how he treats a child I can only imagine how terrible he is to adults.
He needs to find a new line of work.
— Kristi L. Talmadge (@KristiTalmadge) August 6, 2025
The girl’s grandmother said that since the incident took place, she has been secluded at home and that she “didn’t want to go to school.”
“She has anxiety. She will need therapy,” she told Newsday.
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Author: Chris Donaldson
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