An overwhelming majority of respondents (88%) indicated support for the thin red line flags – and the responses were from an even mix of ranks.

Respondents were fairly evenly divided among working for career, volunteer and combination departments. We received nearly 2,000 responses about this complex issue. What else should I know about the thin red line flag?įireRescue1 surveyed firefighters on the use of thin line flags in public safety. There are several retailers that currently sell thin red line flags, including: Can civilians/non-firefighters fly the thin red line flag to show their support for firefighters? Some fire departments have policies focused on the display of flags, decals and emblems so that it is clear what is and is not permissible at the station or on apparatus. Thin red line flags are sometimes displayed inside or outside fire stations or on fire apparatus, although there is debate about whether such displays should be permitted on town or city property. Where is the thin red line flag flown or displayed? And one step further, display of the thin red line flag has, to some, become conflated with the thin blue line flag.

As such, some see thin blue line flags as a pushback against social injustice reform movements, like Black Lives Matter.

The debate over the flags’ potential political nods is most associated with the thin blue line flag and its connection to the Blue Lives Matter movement, which was started in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. While some view the flags as representative of solidarity with public safety and a way to honor fallen or injured first responders, others simply do not agree with any alteration of the American flag, and some view the flags as representative of political statements. The thin line flags have generated debate in recent months. What is the controversy over the thin red line flag? Thin line flags for EMS (left), dispatch (middle) and corrections (right)

What does the black flag represent