RICHMOND, Texas -- Shouting erupted at a meeting of the Pecan Grove Volunteer Fire Department board, where members promised to take action on firehouse striptease photos aired by Local 2 Investigates.

After a two-hour closed executive session, the board voted to release a statement that was signed by board president Joe Vents.

The statement was posted on the fire department's Web site, where the fire chief had earlier called into question the authenticity of the photos.

The statement was addressed to the fire protection district, which means the citizens who pay for their fire protection through a voluntary donation in their monthly water bills.

The entire statement was as follows.

"The Pecan Grove Volunteer Fire Department Board of Directors and Administration do not condone the actions as represented in the pictures and video that KPRC, television has broadcasted (sic) in the last two weeks. This organization asked the Fort Bend Sheriff's office to start an investigation into those actions, Friday morning March 25, 2008, the day after the broadcast was aired. The investigation is on-going and to that end the Pecan Grove Volunteer Fire Department Board of Directors, administration, employees and volunteers will have no statements concerning this matter until the investigation is complete.

"The Pecan Grove Volunteer Fire Department will continue to provide the same excellent level of fire protection and EMS service to the community as it has for the last 25 years."

Board president Joe Vents told Local 2 Investigates, "We haven't had anybody suspended or anything like that. Until we get more solid information from the sheriff's department, then we think we can take action."

There was no indication on when the investigation may wrap up, but Vents said, "We're going to stand and act on whatever they come up with on their investigation."

After the executive session, the shouting centered around two members of the community who said they were questioning the backgrounds of the firefighters manning the station, based partly on the Local 2 Investigates reporting on the striptease photos.

Joe Taylor and John Minchew, who are both in leadership positions on the unrelated water district board for Pecan Grove, requested that the board release a roster of each fire department employee so that backgrounds can be checked by citizens who are protected by the Pecan Grove Fire Department.

LeDoux responded during the meeting, "We have a privacy issue that we have to abide by because we are a private group."

He said the fire department is funded and operated by a non-profit corporation and not a government agency, and therefore the roster is not a matter of public record.

"So, therefore, as a private group, you do whatever you want to do?" asked water board member John Minchew. "Obviously, that's the problem that's been going on with the fire department."

He chided the fire chief, saying, "You're trying to hide under the incorporation and you're a firefighter."

LeDoux said, "We are not a government agency."

He was interrupted by Minchew, who said, "Here we go again, we're hiding under the corporation."

The chief then shouted, "I am not hiding."

The board decided to ask permission from each firefighter and staff member to see if they will allow their names to be released to the water board members who requested it.

If police officers or any other volunteers on the fire department decide against it, the board said it would respect their privacy.