Maine Chief Terminated Over Amputations
A long-serving Maine fire chief is contemplating filing suit over his recent termination that was attributed to his legs being amputated.
Skowhegan Fire Chief Tom Keene, was terminated on December 30, 2013 by Town Manager John Doucette Jr. Doucette admitted he terminated Chief Keene for medical reasons telling the Morning Sentinel “He’s not capable under the job description in state statute to perform as a fire chief.”
Over the past two years, both of Chief Keene’s legs were amputated due to diabetes. He is expected to be fitted with prosthetic limbs in a few months and informed Doucette on December 12, 2013 that he was ready to resume administrative duties.
According to Doucette “It’s very hard, but as a town manager, I have to look at the Fire Department, the safety of the town — are we putting more of a burden on other employees there not having the fire chief capable of doing those things?”
Chief Keene has been off on medical leave since September, 2013. He told the Morning Sentinel that Doucette offered him the opportunity to resign, which he declined. Doucette then fired him. Chief Keene, 58, had been a firefighter for over 40 years and served as chief for the past 21 years.
Really?
Mr. Douchette are you that unaware of what a Fire Chief does?
Being Fire Chief means he isn't pulling hose lines or throwing ladders but rather performing Command Functions outside the fire building.
By the way, with the latest in technology that developed with wounded Veterans and their prosthetic limbs, this is an even more, Stupid action.
Be prepared to pay big $$Bucks for an ADA lawsuit.
I agree, what a way to treat such a dedicated employee after serving the community all those years. Shame on you. ADA lawsuit coming your way…
Sir ; your secession to fire the Chief for reasons of having
lost both legs is fully covered under the Federal Law
Discrimintaion against people with handicaps.
i hope your action don't turn the deed of the town over
to him. You will loose this one. Sorry you messed up.
We get stuck with chiefs who are thieves, rapists, junkies, drunks, pimps, drug dealers, murderers, and God knows what else, and the town is doing this?!?
I don't know enough of the facts to guess who's going to win, but I sure as HELL know who's going to LOSE… everybody not billing by the hour for this (Chief Varone, I specifically exclude you).
yeah but chief needs to be able to do a walk around and size up . help as needed if things out of hand. keep by standers away. lots of things cheif can and should be doing besides sitting there. for the safety of the men and community he shouldnt be cheif
Well…
Since I'm from California, I think the Chief can stay at his Command vehicle and use his Division/Sector Officers to give him C-A-N Reports so he can properly adjust his Fireground Operations.
Rather than walk around the fire building.
I'm not one to discriminate based on disability, but at some point does an employer (any employer) have SOME recourse to make sure that their employees are capable of being at work and doing their job?
I ask because if Chief Keene's diabetes is so being so badly managed that he lost both of his legs, I'm willing to bet he's used every minute of his sick time, and then some. A diabetic doesn't wake up one day and have gangrenous extremeties. That takes serious, long-term damage leading to lack of function, hospitalizations, etc. How effective of a chief has he really been leading up to this point?
I had to be the a-hole, but the department needs a chief.