ST LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — Three St. Lucie County firefighters were fired after investigators said videos appeared to show them "hazing" probationary firefighters while on duty at Station 1A.
WATCH BELOW: New depositions reveal why a firefighter turned in alleged hazing videos
Now, for the first time, depositions newly obtained by WPTV reveal why the firefighter who turned those videos over to fire leadership felt he had to.
The videos, which WPTV also obtained, appear to show probationary firefighters at Station 1A being quizzed on the job, then shocked with a modified bug zapper for wrong answers.
"What are ya gonna do?" a voice says in one of the videos.
In a deposition WPTV reviewed, the firefighter who turned over the recordings asked investigators to keep his identity confidential. He told investigators he decided to come forward for two reasons.
"One of them, obviously you watch it, you know, [expletive] goes too far sometimes, and there's a stigma here, so you don't want to say [expletive]," the firefighter said. "Then the other thing is, these guys were in a jam, so obviously there's something here."
He pointed to a separate 2025 investigation into Station 1's workplace culture — one that described it as "characterized by intense peer pressure, social exclusion, and inappropriate banter" — months before the videos surfaced.
WATCH BELOW: Fired firefighters speak to WPTV on bug zapper hazing case
"There has been tons of rumors of what could potentially occur at that station," he said.
When asked whether those rumors were ever formally reported, he told investigators, "I think that's what got us here in the first place."
The firefighter also said in the depositions that he filmed four of the videos himself — including one showing water being dumped on a probationary firefighter — and said he was also shocked with the modified bug zapper.
He identified firefighters Doug Boudrias, Chris Baldwin, and Jordan Hutchinson, the three firefighters since terminated, as the main participants.
"Yeah, I was walking. Somebody got me in the back," he said.
"Same group of players?" the investigator asks.
"Same group of players," the firefighter replies.
In their own depositions, the fired firefighters defended the conduct, saying everyone had the choice to participate.
"I just know it was inclusive, and I mean, I was shocked," Baldwin said. "And ultimately, I think everyone that was there was either given the opportunity of being involved or not involved."
"Think it was appropriate to do that?" the investigator asked Baldwin.
WATCH BELOW: Videos surface in St. Lucie County firefighter hazing controversy
"The way I viewed it at the time was just everyone kind of enjoying and you know, joking, having fun at the station, decompressing from calls, from a stressful, stressful job," Baldwin replied.
Hutchinson's attorney, in his deposition, questioned why the videos, which were taken in 2024, weren't reported until two years after they were recorded.
"Do you have any reason why someone three weeks ago would have now been motivated to turn these over to the chief?" asked the attorney.
When asked whether the conduct was appropriate or professional, all three firefighters gave different answers.
"It doesn't appear as professional as we could be," Boudrias said.
"I didn't view it as inappropriate at the time," Baldwin said.
"At no point of this was there any intent to haze anybody," Hutchinson said.
The union says the district is trying to avoid court, but that any deal must include reinstating all three firefighters.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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