Portland Fire Boat Mishap Leads to Discipline

Posted by: Curt Varone October 24, 2011 1 Comment

A captain and a firefighter from Portland, Maine have been suspended following a marine mishap with a fire boat that resulted in approximately $38,000 worth of damage.

Captain Christopher Goodall and Firefighter Joseph Murphy were operating The City of Portland IV on October 15, 2011 when it ran aground.  Murphy was piloting the vessel at the time, received a 3 day suspension, while Captain Goodall received a 10 day suspension.

Meanwhile, the US Coast Guard has initiated an investigation into the incident, and why the accident was not reported. According to a city spokesperson, officials were not aware they had to report vessel accidents to the Coast Guard.

More on the story.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
© Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved. | FireLawBlog.com & Curt Varone | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
x

Check Also

Tennessee Captain Loses Alcoholism-PTSD Disability Claim

A Tennessee fire captain who resigned while facing disciplinary charges in 2021, has failed in his bid to claim constructive termination, disability discrimination, and violations of the FMLA. Newport Fire Department Captain Justin Gilbert claimed that disciplinary charges were brought against him due to his alcoholism, which was worsened by his work-related PTSD.

Pennsylvania Fire Captain Falsified Credentials

A former Pennsylvania firefighter is facing criminal charges for submitting fraudulent training credentials and driving fire apparatus without a license. Steven Bartholomew, 55, served as a fire captain for the Paxtang Fire Company No. 1, a position he was given in part due to the falsified credentials he presented.