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NY Fire Department Sued for $3 million in Strange Wrongful Death Case
Here’s today’s burning question: Can my fire department be sued if a driver smashes into a parked ambulance belonging to another fire department? Apparently so if you are in New York!!! A New York volunteer fire company and a village are being sued for wrongful death over a 2010 crash that did not even involve one of its vehicles. On Tuesday, Carol A. Durham filed a $3 million lawsuit against the Village of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Volunteer Fire Department Inc., and the driver of a PVFD ambulance, Cole Q. Jenne, claiming their negligence contributed to an April 24, 2010 accident that…
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Discipline in Louisville Metro EMS Making News
Louisville Metro EMS has been in the news lately with a number of disciplinary issues. Most of the cases have been drug related, leading the Department to declare a “zero tolerance” for illegal drug use. You may recall the case of Tammy Renee Brewer, who was charged with murder in 2008 following a fatal ambulance accident where she was driving an ambulance while impaired on methadone. She subsequently pled guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The Department and the local Teamsters union that represents the EMS employees reached an agreement on August 11, 2011 which…
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Colorado Firefighter’s Prank Will Be Costly
A Colorado firefighter is facing criminal charges and departmental discipline following a prank he played on a fellow firefighter. Firefighter Kevin Adler, 38, a 13 year veteran of the Greeley Fire Department, allegedly put sugar in the gas tank of fellow firefighter Greg Holmes, causing between $2,000 and $3,000 damage. The incident occurred on August 14, 2011 while Holmes was working overtime. News reports indicate that a romantic jealousy may have been the motive behind the prank, and that it may be connected to a similar prank that damaged the vehicle of another firefighter, Jay Oster, last May. Both Holmes…
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Parents File Claim Against NJ Fire Department For Sexual Misconduct
The parents of a 19-year-old female EMT have filed a claim against Greenwich Township and the Greenwich Fire Department alleging that officials failed to supervise and prevent improper sexual relationships between two chief officers and minor female members. John and Patricia Newton first informed township officials back in February about improprieties between their daughter, Jordan Newton, and Fire Chief Wade MacFarland and Assistant Chief Charles Reinhart. Jordan had been with the department since she was 16. The Newtons were told they should take the matter up with the volunteer fire department, not the township. The Newton’s then contacted the fire…
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Illinois Fire Chief Considering Rescinding His Resignation
An Illinois fire chief who agreed to resign in the midst of a controversy is threatening to rescind his resignation after the president of the fire protection district publically commented on the allegations in violation of a non-disclosure agreement. Orland Fire Protection District’s Fire Chief Bryant Krizik agreed to accept a retirement package following an investigation into sexually inappropriate material on his department issued computer. The chief has steadfast denied any responsibility for the material, claiming the computer was used by numerous members of the department for training and promotional study purposes. The investigation was initiated shortly after James Hickey was…
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Another Volunteer Organization the Victim of Insider Theft
Its only been a week, but there’s been yet another case of theft in the volunteer fire service – this time in northwest New York state. Robert Kawski, president of the Chautauqua County Fireman’s Fraternity, has been charged with grand larceny and passing bad checks in regards to funds missing from the organization. The Chautauqua case marks the 76th documented case of major theft in the volunteer service since 2006. To be clear, the 76 cases involve the theft of funds in excess of $10,000 from a volunteer fire department. It does not include 27 additional cases of the theft…
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Misconduct in Florida Leads to Civil Suit
A poor decision by a fire officer who missed an EMS run to watch a youth soccer match in 2009, is under scrutiny again, this time by the family of the woman who died. Sharon Villatoro’s family filed the wrongful death suit last Friday against the city of North Port alleging negligence and the breach of a “nondelegable duty of reasonable care to respond to emergency calls.” On November 21, 2009, Villatoro was experiencing difficulty breathing and called 911. At the time, Lt. Robert Combs and his crew had taken their ladder truck to a youth soccer game approximately 3…
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Fire Truck Dealer Sues SC Fire Department
A local fire apparatus dealer has filed suit against the city of Beaufort, the Beaufort Fire Department and Fire Chief Sammy Negron over the proposed sale of a used tower ladder. Palmetto Fire Apparatus claims the city agreed to pay it a commission if it could find a buyer for a 1998 Pierce tower ladder. Palmetto claims it found a willing buyer for the truck, the Port Wentworth Fire Department in Georgia, but that Beaufort then backed out of the deal. According the lawsuit, the deal fell apart because Chief Negron claims he lacked the authority to enter into the…
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Spokane LT Not Guilty Of Assaulting Police
The long saga of a Spokane fire lieutenant who was falsely accused of two different sets of offenses by Washington State Patrol, ended yesterday with a not-guilty verdict. Lieutenant Todd Chism was arrested in 2008 after police discovered his credit card had been used to download child pornography. Chism was suspended from the fire department and vigorously proclaimed his innocence. The charges were later dismissed when it was proven that he was the victim of identity fraud and had no connection with the pornography. Chism then filed a $12 million suit against the Washington State Patrol alleging that its shoddy…
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Firefighter Who Reported Fire Chief’s Drinking Sues Over Demotion
A volunteer firefighter from Michigan has filed suit against his department and its fire chief alleging his demotion from lieutenant was in retaliation for him reporting misconduct by the fire chief. Jeremy Jennings filed suit in Federal District Court on Monday claiming his June 22, 2011 demotion was the direct result of his having reported that firefighters, including the fire chief, responded to alarms drunk and under the influence of pain medication. The suit alleges violations of the First Amendment (free speech), Fourteenth Amendment (due process), retaliation, and violation of the Michigan Whistleblower Act. Jennings initially reported his concerns to the…
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Boston Firefighter Acquitted of Fraud… Let the Blame Games Begin
The two week trial of Boston firefighter Albert Arroyo on Federal fraud charges ended yesterday in a not guilty verdict, shocking most who have been following the case. The high profile trial was touted by the media as a slam dunk guilty verdict for a malingering firefighter faking a back injury while participating in strenuous activities such as weight-lifting and playing baseball. According to the media the evidence was overwhelming. So what happened? The blame games have begun…. Boston Herald.com columnist Peter Gelzinis was particularly vicious today in his attacks on the jury, calling them “dumbbells” and “dunces”. He was…
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Honolulu EMS Personnel In Trouble Over Risque Calendar Photos
Some Honolulu EMS personnel are under investigation following a breast cancer calendar fundraiser. The female paramedics may have stepped over the line in posing for the calendar in an effort to raise awareness and funds for the Susan B. Komen Race For The Cure Foundation. The photos were taken last June, and include the paramedics striking poses using their EMS vehicles as props. According to a spokesperson for the Komen Foundation the photos proved to be a bit too risqué. More on the story.
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Another Case of Theft in the Volunteer Fire Service
There has been another case of theft in the volunteer fire service, this time in West Virginia, and this time to the tune of $242,269.15. Stephen Wilson, 61, the treasurer of the Short Gap Volunteer Fire Department was arrested last Friday, August 12, 2011 by State Police. Financial irregularities were first discovered approximately 6 months ago. After a series of meetings with the department’s board Wilson finally admitted to the theft, and pulled a handgun telling the board members he could not live with himself. Members were able to get Wilson to surrender the gun. Wilson faces three charges: embezzlement,…
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