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Alabama Supreme Court Affirms Immunity for Town in Volunteer Firefighter Case
The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled that the Town of Cedar Bluff is immune from liability for the alleged acts or omissions of its volunteer firefighters under Alabama’s Volunteer Service Act. The decision stems from a 2017 vehicle accident that claimed the life of Susan Bonner.
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Fire Law Roundup for September 1, 2025
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for September 1, 2025, Brad and Curt discuss a decision by the Ohio Court of Appeals to reinstated a defamation claim filed by a former fire chief; a federal court decision concluding that the City of Cincinnati violated the due process rights of former Fire Chief Michael Washington when it terminated him in 2023; a lawsuit filed by a former Cary, North Carolina, firefighter alleging disability, race, and ethnicity discrimination; criminal charges brought against a Wausau Fire Department division chief for stealing controlled substances; and a class action suit brought by the city…
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Ohio Appeals Court Reinstates Defamation Claim by Former Port Clinton Fire Chief
The Ohio Court of Appeals has reinstated a defamation claim filed by the former fire chief of Port Clinton while upholding the dismissal of his remaining claims for wrongful termination. Kent Johnson, who had served with the Port Clinton FD since 1992 and as fire chief since 2008, was placed on administrative leave in June 2023 following allegations of sexual harassment.
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La Crosse Sues Fire Truck Manufacturers Alleging Antitrust Conspiracy to Raise Prices
The City of La Crosse, Wisconsin has filed a class action lawsuit in federal court against several major fire apparatus manufacturers, alleging they conspired to suppress competition, restrict supply, and drive up the cost of fire trucks. The case was filed on August 20, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
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Federal Court Issues Ruling in Lawsuit Filed by Former Cincinnati Fire Chief
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio has ruled that the City of Cincinnati violated the due process rights of former Fire Chief Michael Washington when City Manager Sheryl Long summarily terminated him in March, 2023.
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North Carolina Firefighter’s Discrimination Suit Removed to Federal Court
A lawsuit filed by a former Cary, North Carolina, firefighter in Wake County Superior Court alleging disability, race, and ethnicity discrimination has been removed to federal court. Dail Hernandez, who is identified in the suit as a 47-year-old Hispanic male, filed suit against the City of Cary and the Cary Fire Department.
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Wausau EMS Division Chief Accused of Stealing Painkillers
A division chief with the Wausau Fire Department has been charged in connection with the theft of controlled substances from the department’s supply. Jared J. Thompson, 46, serves as the division chief of emergency medical services.
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Fire Law Roundup for August 25, 2025
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for August 25, 2025, Brad and Curt discuss the adoption of a Firefighter Bill of Rights in Fayetteville, Arkansas; the filing of a civil claim against the Mayor of Los Angeles by the former Fire Chief alleging defamation and retaliation; a ruling by the Fourth Circuit upholding in part and denying in part a lower court ruling in a case involving the discipline of a Lynchburg, VA firefighter; a lawsuit fired by a building owner against a Massachusetts fire captain and city over a fire code citation; and criminal charges brought against a…
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Fayetteville Adopts Firefighter Bill of Rights
The Fayetteville City Council voted unanimously last week to adopt a Firefighter Bill of Rights, making Fayetteville the first municipality in Arkansas to do so. The ordinance was enacted on August 19, 2025.
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Former LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley Files Civil Claim Against Mayor Karen Bass
Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley has filed a civil claim against Mayor Karen Bass and the City of Los Angeles. The filing, dated August 20, 2025, is a tort claim—a required procedural step before any lawsuit can be brought against a government entity.
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Fourth Circuit Rules in Lynchburg Firefighter’s Demotion Case
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has issued a mixed ruling in a case involving the demotion of a Lynchburg, Virginia firefighter who alleged sex discrimination, retaliation, and violations of Virginia’s Whistle Blower Protection Act.
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Off-Duty Firefighter Caught on Surveillance Camera Stealing American Flag
A South Florida firefighter is accused of stealing an American flag from a Key Largo home after a dispute over loud music. Surveillance footage clearly shows the firefighter climbing onto the property, removing the flag, and swimming away with it—a scene witnessed by the homeowners only after reviewing their security camera footage.
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Massachusetts Building Owner Sues Holyoke Fire Prevention Captain Over Sprinkler System Violations
A building owner in Holyoke, Massachusetts has filed suit against the city’s Fire Prevention Captain and the Holyoke Fire Department, seeking to overturn a Notice of Violation issued in connection with the building’s sprinkler and alarm systems.
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Fire Law Roundup for August 18, 2025
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for August 18, 2025, Curt and Paul Doughty discuss the arrest of an FDNY firefighter accused of assaulting a colleague in the firehouse; the settlement of an FLSA suit in North Carolina against a volunteer fire company; a decision by the Eighth Circuit to reinstate a suit brought by an Arkansas firefighter who was terminated over a social media post; a ruling by a federal magistrate granting in part and denying in part a motion for summary judgment in a wrongful termination lawsuit brought by a former deputy chief; and an unusual suit…
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