Tampa Firefighter Terminated for Falsifying EMS Training Records

A Tampa firefighter who twice made claims of race discrimination that could not be substantiated, has been terminated for forging signatures on EMS training documentation.

Andrew Dixon was fired for forging signatures to show he attended paramedic training that he did not. He reportedly gave himself excellent ratings, and was “untruthful” when confronted about it.

Dixon reported what he considered to be racist behavior at his firehouse on two occasions last year. In February, he and a colleague discovered a monkey hanging from the ceiling of Station 13. An investigation concluded the monkey’s presence was a tribute to the primate display at nearby Bush Gardens, and not intended as a symbol of hate.

In June, Dixon reported that someone placed a photo of him in his locker with the word “Monkey” typed in red on his forehead. A police investigation interviewed 32 people, 18 of whom claimed that rumors were that Dixon put the photo in his locker himself. The investigation concluded without the claims being substantiated.

Dixon was fired last week following a police investigation that concluded he forged four signatures and intended to falsify his attendance records. According to Fox13, Dixon has filed a claim of race discrimination with the EEOC.

Fire Chief Barbara Tripp issued the following statement:

• The termination of Andrew Dixon was a decision based on the principles of accountability and professionalism that are expected of all city employees.
• Mr. Dixon was found to have forged the signature of a clinician on documents related to his mandatory paramedic training—a serious breach of trust and a violation of the standards to which we hold all our personnel.
• This action had the potential to undermine the integrity of our firefighter training process. Thankfully, Mr. Dixon’s actions are not a reflection of the hundreds of firefighters working hard every day for the safety and well-being of our community.
• There are safeguards in place through local, state and nationally mandated testing to ensure that our firefighters are well-prepared for the emergencies they may face.