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Mount Vernon Firefighter Alleges Retaliation and Race Discrimination
A Mount Vernon firefighter who served briefly as deputy fire commissioner has filed suit against the city, the mayor, a captain and a chief accusing them of harassment, race discrimination, retaliation and whistleblower violations. Ernest Richardson filed suit against the City of Mount Vernon, the Mount Vernon Fire Department, Mayor Richard Thomas, Ops Chief al Farid Salahuddin and Captain Michael St. John.
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Conviction of Arsonist in Ohio LODD Upheld
The conviction of a man accused of arson and murder for the 2015 fire that killed Hamilton, Ohio firefighter Patrick Wolterman has been upheld by the Twelfth Appellate District Court of Appeals. Lester Parker was charged with hiring his nephew, co-defendant William Tucker, to set fire to Parker’s home in order to collect the insurance proceeds.
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Florida Firefighter Terminated Over Lewd Photos
A Florida firefighter has been terminated following his no-contest plea to charges he sent lewd photos of himself to a 16-year old girl. Marco Island firefighter Nicholas Macciarolo was sentenced to three years probation in exchange for his plea to a third-degree felony charge of unlawfully using a two-way communication device to facilitate or commit a felony.
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Ohio Fire Department’s Immunity Upheld as SC Refuses to Hear Appeal
The Supreme Court of Ohio has refused to overturn a court of appeals decision granting immunity to a fire department in a suit over the death of a woman who was backed over by a fire truck. Lorri Riehm was killed in 2016 when she was run over by a Green Springs Rural VFD vehicle that was repositioning at the scene of a water rescue incident.
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Suit Filed In Las Vegas Revenge Porn Video Scandal
The female firefighter at the center of a revenge porn scandal within Las Vegas Fire Rescue, has filed suit in federal court accusing the City of Las Vegas, the City of Henderson, and 12 named employees with sexual harassment, discrimination and violating her rights.
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NJ Firefighter Claims Religious Discrimination Over No Beard Rule
A New Jersey firefighter hoping to head off a disciplinary action over his refusal to shave his beard, has filed suit alleging religious discrimination. Atlantic City firefighter Alexander Smith filed suit last week in US District Court for the District of New Jersey claiming the fire department’s rules prohibiting beards discriminates against him on account of his religion.
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Subsequent Remedial Action and LODD Investigation Reports
Today’s burning question: After a line of duty death, if a fire department takes affirmative steps to improve firefighter safety, aren't those affirmative steps inadmissible against the fire department to show what it should have been doing all along? Does that mean a LODD investigation report cannot be used against the fire department, because it was undertaken in an effort to prevent a reoccurrence?
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Massachusetts Firefighter Claims Town Failed To Prevent Sexual Assault By Fire Chief
A Massachusetts firefighter who claims he was sexually assaulted by his fire chief, has filed suit against the fire department, the town’s selectmen, and the fire chief. Ryan Williams filed suit last week against the Kingston Fire Department, the Town of Kingston’s Board of Selectmen, and former Fire Chief Robert Heath over an assault that took place in 2017.
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Detroit Fire Terminates EMS Personnel Over Neglect Of Care Allegation
The Detroit Fire Department has terminated two EMS personnel based on allegations they failed to perform CPR on a 30-year-old man in January. Patrick Clemons was suffering from a heart attack and according to his family, EMS personnel made him walk to the stretcher then then failed to administer aid to him during the transport.
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Polk County Prevails in First Amendment Suit By Medical Director
The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected the appeal of a doctor who claims she was wrongfully replaced as the Polk County Fire Department’s medical director after she voiced concerns about the handling of an African American candidate with a medical condition. Dr. Nancy King served as the occupational health director for Polk County for 15 years.
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Minnesota Supreme Court Rules Workers Comp Law Does Not Block Discrimination Suit
The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled yesterday that workers’ compensation exclusivity does not bar a firefighter’s suit for disability discrimination. If you are not an attorney, that sentence probably does not make a whole heck of a lot of sense. However, if you read along let me explain the importance of the ruling.
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Motorola Sued for $145 Million Over Death of Houston Fire Captain
The widow of a Houston fire captain who was seriously injured in the Southwest Inn fire in 2013, and who died in 2017, has filed suit against Motorola Solutions, Inc. alleging deficiencies in the radio system contributed to her husband’s injuries and ultimately his death. Jacki Dowling filed suit in Harris County District Court on February 18, 2019.
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Court Rules No Overtime For Flight Medics
A federal court in Missouri has ruled that employees of air ambulance providers are not entitled to overtime compensation because air ambulance providers are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act. The suit was filed last year by a flight medic, Jacob Riegelsberger, against Air Evac EMS, Inc. under the FLSA because he and his co-workers were only paid overtime after they worked 84 hours in a two week paid period.
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