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Pink Collar Theft From North Carolina VFD
An administrative assistant has been charged with stealing over $200,000 from a North Carolina volunteer fire department. Amanda Christine Lamb, 46, has been charged with embezzlement from the Lower Currituck County Volunteer Fire Department.
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Oregon Chief Seeks $5 Million Over Disability Discrimination and Constructive Termination
An Oregon division chief who retired last year has filed a $5 million suit claiming he was discriminated against and constructively terminated due to his having Parkinson’s disease. Michael Carlsen was a division chief for the Clackamas Fire District #1.
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Fire Law Roundup for April 8, 2024
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for April 8, 2024, Brad and Curt discuss criminal charges brought against a Kansas City MO firefighter who urinated of a colleague’s personal property; a fire chief in Alaska seeking overtime compensation; a Bridgeport CT firefighter charged with taking drugs from a suspected overdose scene; an appellate ruling upholding a civil service decision to remove a firefighter from a promotional eligibility list; and a lawsuit filed by a Florida firefighter who was terminated after suffering a cardiac related event. KCMO Firefighter Charged in YCMTSU Case KCMO Firefighter Charged in YCMTSU Case Alaska Fire…
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KCMO Firefighter Charged in YCMTSU Case
A firefighter in Kansas City, Missouri is facing felony charges for reportedly urinating on a female colleague’s personal property in a KC firehouse. KC police have charged Pleaze Robinson III with first-degree harassment and first-degree property damage over the incident that occurred on September 10, 2023.
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Alaska Fire Chief Seeks FLSA Overtime
The fire chief of Salcha Fire & Rescue, Inc., has filed suit in US District Court for the District of Alaska seeking compensation for overtime worked since 2021. Chief Darrell VandeWeg claims that his duties as fire chief do not qualify him for any of the white-collar exemptions that normally would apply to fire chiefs.
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Bridgeport Firefighter Accused of Taking Drugs at Incident Scene
A Bridgeport, Connecticut firefighter is facing charges that he took drugs from the scene of a suspected drug overdose last month. Harold Clarke Jr. has been charged with tampering with evidence and interfering with a police officer.
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NJ Court Upholds Removal of Firefighter From Promotional List
The Appellate Division of New Jersey Superior Court has upheld a decision to remove a firefighter from a promotional list based on his poor disciplinary record. John Shaw sought to challenge his removal from the promotional list for lieutenant in the Belleville Fire Department, claiming it was politically based due to his record as a Democrat conflicting with the Republican-leaning administration.
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Terminated Florida Firefighter Alleges Disability Discrimination
A Florida firefighter-paramedic who was terminated after a cardiac related event in 2023, has filed suit alleging wrongful termination and disability discrimination. Michael Samuels filed suit today in US District Court for the Southern District of Florida against the Key Largo Volunteer Fire Department.
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Fire Law Roundup for April 1, 2024
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for April 1,2024, despite some initial April foolery, Brad and Curt discuss a $535k settlement of a California sexual discrimination suit; a ruling in a Nashville age and gender discrimination suit; more on the impending OSHA fire service regulations that have extended the comment period to June 21, 2024; a ruling in a Georgia whistleblower suit; a wrongful termination/due process suit brought by a New York chief; and a lawsuit filed by the family of a man whose dead body was run over by a battalion chief at the scene of a shooting.…
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California Fire District Settles Gender Discrimination Suit With Volunteer for $535K
The Graton Fire Protection District has agreed to settle the gender discrimination claims of a former female firefighter for $535,000. Sapphire Alvarez filed suit claiming she was passed over for promotion, ostracized by her colleagues and unfairly targeted for discipline.
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Nashville Suit Headed Toward Trial
A lawsuit filed by a deputy fire marshal with the Nashville Fire Department claiming that she was passed over for promotion to fire marshal on account of her gender and age, and then retaliated against when she complained, has survived the city’s motion for summary judgment.
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OSHA Extends Deadline to Comment on New Fire Service Regulation
For those who have been following the proposed updated to 1910.156 that will be impacting the fire service when implemented, OSHA has announced that the deadline for submitting comments has been extended to JUNE 21, 2024. The previous deadline for submitting comments was May 6, 2024.
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Georgia Federal Court Denies Request to Remand Whistleblower Case
The US District Court for the Southern District of Georgia has refused to remand a former division chief’s whistleblower lawsuit back to state court. EMS Division Chief Summer Patterson filed suit against Bryan County Fire & Emergency Services and Fire Chief Freddy Howell claiming she was retaliated against and forced to resign after voicing her objection to the chief’s disciplinary decision making.
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NY Chief Challenges Removal
The fire chief of the Wading River Fire District who was removed by the district’s Board of Fire Commissioners last November, has filed suit alleging a violation of his statutory and constitutional due process rights. Fire Chief Kevin Berg was initially suspended and then removed as fire chief, all without notice of the reason for these actions, or an opportunity to respond.
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