CBS News reports that a Rhode Island firefighter made a racially insensitive "fried chicken" remark to an elderly black woman while responding to a medical aid call in March.

Elan Brooks, the granddaughter of the elderly woman, called 911 due to her grandmother having a severe nose bleed.

City aid workers, including Providence firefighter Andre Ferro responded to Brooks' call.

According to Brooks, several firefighters attempted to stop her grandmother's nose bleed, and during this process, Ferro allegedly told Brooks that her grandmother "should stop eating fried chicken."

Ferro later claimed that he did not make that comment as an off-color racial joke.

Ferro's boss, Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steven Pare, said that Ferro told him that he mentioned friend chicken in a list of other foods the woman should avoid, including cheese, bacon and burritos.

However, witnesses didn't support this claim, testifying that they considered Ferro's comment to have been racist.

After some deliberation, the Providence Fire Department Trial Board decided to terminate Ferro, releasing a report on their decision this week.

This is only one of the most recent of Ferro's troubles.

CBS affiliate WPRI-TV reported that Ferro once found himself in hot water for violating the department's sexual harassment policy. He was suspended in 2008 and "reinstated as a result of an arbitration award and a last chance agreement," per the board.

Ferro's African American wife spoke on his behalf, claiming that he has never made racist comments before.

Providence NAACP president James Vincent, who testified against Ferro, told CBS, "You're there to serve the public, so we expect you to act professional all the time. And if you can't do that … it's time for you to go."

Ferro and the firefighter's union requested for him to attend "cultural sensitivity training," but the board was not having it and fired Ferro for good this time.

Racist Remark

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