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Fire Service Court: Psychological Testing for Firefighters
Here is the latest edition of Fire Service Court radio. This podcast is on the psychological testing of firefighters. Please be sure to join the Fire Service Court (Brad Pinsky, Chip Comstock, John Murphy and yours truly) in Indianapolis next week for FDIC!
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Convicted Arsonist in Colorado Plans to Sue Fire Department
A Colorado homeowner who was charged and convicted of arson has filed a notice of intent to sue the fire departments that fought the fire he set. Termed the Reservoir Road fire, the fire in Loveland, Colorado began September 12, 2010 when Joel Ledermann was burning brush on his property without a permit. The fire burned 750 acres and destroyed two homes. According to District Attorney Larry Abrahamson “a person commits fourth degree arson if they recklessly start a fire which places other people or property in danger.” We do not normally associate a “reckless” state of mind with the…
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OSHA’s Top Ten List
OSHA’s top 10 list of the most frequently cited violations for fiscal year 2010.
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Firefighters getting cold shoulder – News – ReviewJournal.com
Here’s a very interesting but sad story – of what happens when a fire department fails to address its day to day internal affairs, and some grandstanding politician comes along and is willing to make a name for himself at the expense of the firefighters’ and the department’s reputation. Firefighters getting cold shoulder – News – ReviewJournal.com. It should be titled: the Importance of Keeping Your House In Order.
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San Antonio Lowers the Boom on Seat Belts
A November apparatus accident where personnel were not belted and the driver was driving too fast has led to serious safety related disciplinary actions by the San Antonio Fire Department, including the suspension of 3 of the 4 firefighters on board. Citing serious cultural issues that need to be addressed, Fire Chief Charles Hood announced the suspensions last week. The November 14, 2010 accident occurred while Ladder 35 was taking a corner enroute to a structure fire. Traveling too fast into the corner, the truck rolled over and was totaled. One firefighter was seriously injured with a broken neck. Chief…
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Waterbury LODD Widow’s Suit Dismissed Based on Workers Comp Exclusivity
Connecticut Supreme Court has handled down a ruling in a LODD.
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Survivair Resettles with St. Louis LODD Widow
An interesting article was published today by stltoday.com about several recent lawsuits involving Survivair. The article is quite well researched and raises some important questions. There have three lawsuits against Surivair and its parent company, Sperian Protection, arising out of the deaths of St. Louis firefighters Robert Morrison and Derek Martin, who died at a fire on May 3, 2002. Laura Morrison, Robert’s widow, sued Survivair alleging his PASS device failed and contributed to his death. Survivair denied it was aware of problems with PASS devices. The case was settled for $3 million in 2006 while the jury was literally…
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Florida Paramedic Sued For Theft of Foot
The Florida paramedic who took the detached lower leg of an accident victim for use in canine cadaver training, has been sued by the leg’s owner for damages. The bizarre case began on September 19, 2008 when Karl Lambert of Brevard County was severely injured in a car accident on Rt. 95. St. Lucie County Fire District paramedic Cynthia Economou took the leg from the accident scene intending to use it to help train her dog in body recovery. She subsequently was charged criminally with second-degree petit theft, pled nolo in May, 2009, and served 6 months probation. She resigned…
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Joyriding Firefighter Charged with DWI with Engine
A volunteer firefighter from the Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department in Hamilton, Virginia has been charged with drunk driving after he was arrested while joy riding with an engine company at 2:00am Saturday morning.
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Armed Firefighters – the Debate Continues
The recent shooting of a volunteer firefighter at an accident scene on Long Island has sparked a debate on whether or not firefighters should be allowed to carry firearms while on-duty.
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Ugly Battle Plays Out In Media in Montgomery County
An ugly battle has been playing out between volunteers at the Burtonsville Fire Station and the Montgomery County Fire Department administration.
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Louisiana Fire Department Sues Firefighter Arsonist
A combination fire department in Louisiana has filed suit against one of its former call firefighters who set fire to a building owned by the department. The Little Caillou Fire Department filed suit in state court against Jesse Patrick Marcel, 22, who recently pled guilty to setting four fires between 2009 and 2010. One of the fires that Marcel set was on March 15, 2010 in a house owned by the department and occupied by another member of the department. Damages to the building were estimated at $55,000. The fire department’s insurer, American Alternative Insurance Corp., was also a named…
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Amityville Settles Age Discrimination Suit Over Volunteer LOSAP
Another New York volunteer fire department has agreed to settle an age-discrimination lawsuit brought by the US EEOC over the way the department credited personnel under the length of service award program (LOSAP). The Village of Amityville and the Amityville Fire Department agreed to pay $209,280 to settle the class action age-discrimination lawsuit brought by the EEOC. According to the EEOC complaint, the department ‘s LOSAP did not credit personnel for service rendered after they turned 65. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits age discrimination against persons over the age of 40. Under the consent decree, the department…
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