Hidden cameras found in women's bunkrooms at El Cajon fire station

Four women who work as first responders have filed legal complaints after they said they found hidden cameras in rooms where they changed and slept at a fire station in El Cajon.

“Immediately, like, I just felt sick because it’s gross. It’s disgusting,” said Bella Mason, one of the women who works as an EMT out of El Cajon Fire Station 8.

Mason said she discovered the camera hidden in a charger in her room in February and immediately notified her supervisors.

“It’s like, so violating,” she said. “We see horrible things, and we come back and that’s our sanctuary where we reset. And it feels like it’s just – it was like, stolen.”

A second camera was discovered in a bunkroom used by female firefighters, Mason and her attorney Dan Gilleon said.

“I have so much anxiety around this situation that I feel like I can't sleep, which, obviously, like, I need to sleep when I'm running 911 calls, I'm helping people,” Mason said. “It's definitely a huge distraction, and I feel like it's just negatively affecting, like, how I do my job, feeling safe there. It changes everything.”

Mason said she’s been interviewed once by an El Cajon detective but that there’s been little movement from police or her employer on any sort of investigation, and the person who placed the cameras has not been caught.

She and three others – Tristan Hardin, Morgan Donnelly, Claire Warrenfelt – filed a tort claim against the City of El Cajon, as well as California Civil Rights Department claims with the state. Those claims are against the city, the ambulance service provider American Medical Response, and Heartland Fire-Rescue, which is contracted to provide fire rescue services in El Cajon.

They allege each entity “failed to conduct a prompt, thorough, and fair investigation” as required by state law in the face of serious allegations of sexual harassment and gender discrimination.

A spokesman for El Cajon declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation. In a statement, AMR’s parent company, Global Medical Response, called the discovery “deeply disturbing.”

“We fully understand how violating and unsettling this must be for the women involved, and we are committed to supporting them through this incredibly difficult situation,” GMR’s statement reads, noting that they do not manage the facility where the cameras were found and adding that the company is “committed to working with the City, law enforcement and the fire department to address this situation.”

The company said the women were given the option to transfer to other locations. Mason said she felt they weren’t in the wrong and shouldn’t have to leave their spots.

“I feel really betrayed,” Mason said.

“The policies are clear. They’re just not following them,” Gilleon said. “If they cared, they would be doing everything they could to find out why it happened, how it happened, when it happened, who did it, and take corrective measures to make sure it never happens again. They're just not doing that.”

Gilleon said part of the intent of investigating is to send a clear message.

“In the cases of sexual harassment, unfortunately, a lot of guys do things based upon what they have seen others get away with, right?” he said. “And so that's why it's so important in situations like this, for the employer to come in and investigate thoroughly so that the message sent is: you can't get away with this.”

“But when the employer doesn't, does the opposite, it doesn't even tell anybody, they're sending a message that this is the sort of thing you can get away with,” he continued.

Mason said that’s why she felt it was so important to come forward, even though talking about it is painful.

“This is an incredibly, like, violating thing that obviously should have never happened,” Mason said. “I want them to recognize it and make sure that this never happens to anybody else.”