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Parents Sue SC Fire Chief Claiming He Pursued and Threatened Teens with Gun
A South Carolina fire chief and his son have been sued by the parents of two teenagers who claim the chief pursued their car, stopped them, pointed a gun at them, and ordered them to lie on the ground. The incident reportedly occurred last summer and was precipitated by the teens turning around in a driveway.
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Fire Law Roundup for June 19, 2023
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for June 19, 2023, Brad and Curt discuss a decision by the Seventh Circuit in favor of the City of Kankakee in a lawsuit brought by a female firefighter who accused her officer of assaulting her while they were fighting a fire; criminal charges being field against two DC firefighters over an altercation at a motor vehicle accident scene; a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by a Florida chief who was terminated; and a lawsuit filed by a New Jersey volunteer firefighter who claims the borough wrongfully denied him promotion to assistant chief after…
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Seventh Circuit Upholds Ruling In Favor of Kankakee FD in Assault Case
The US Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld summary judgment in favor of the City of Kankakee in a lawsuit brought by a female firefighter who accused her officer of assaulting her while they were fighting a fire. Michelle Giese claims Lieutenant Nathan Boyce picked her up and pushed her on October 18, 2018.
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NJ Firefighter Sues Over Promotion Denial
A volunteer firefighter has filed suit against the Borough of Allendale claiming that elected officials wrongfully refused to confirm his promotion to assistant chief. Michael Pina filed suit against the borough, the director of emergency management, the fire chief and the fire administrator accusing them of an assortment of claims.
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Court Rules High Compensation Leads to No Overtime for Virginia Chiefs
An FLSA lawsuit filed by ten battalion chiefs with the Alexandria Fire Department has come to a rather surprising conclusion. The US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia granted summary judgment to the city based upon a rarely used exemption for fire officers: the highly compensated employee exemption.
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DC Firefighters Charged With Assault Over April Altercation
Two District of Columbia firefighters who were caught on video punching and kicking a man at the scene of a motor vehicle accident, are now facing criminal charges. Lieutenant Sean Sinon, 48, and Firefighter Reden Ecleo, 21, have been charged with assault.
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Florida Chief Claims Termination Was Disability Discrimination
A Florida division chief who was fired in 2022 has filed suit claiming disability discrimination. Walter Ebbert filed suit against the Ocean City Wright Fire Control District. The suit was initially filed in Okaloosa County Circuit Court, and removed by the district to US District Court.
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Fire Law Roundup for June 12, 2023
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for June 12, 2023, Brad and Curt discuss the settlement of two lawsuits filed by a firefighter who was severely burned while trying to effect a rescue; ruling in favor of the Milwaukee Fire Department in a suit brought by a terminated firefighter; an appellate ruling in Georgia that held an EMS unit was justified in...
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After 13 Years of Litigation, Settlement Reached with Injured Missouri Firefighter
A firefighter who was severely burned trying to rescue a man in 2006, has settled two lawsuits she filed against the fire department for $1 million. Cindy Schuenke has reached a settlement with the Community Fire Protection District in St. Louis County over her injuries and subsequent termination.
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Milwaukee Fire Prevails in Suit Brought by Terminated Firefighter
A lawsuit filed by a former Milwaukee firefighter over his termination has been dismissed by the US District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. The suit was brought by Michael S. Peden, who was terminated on June 17, 2020 for conduct that reportedly took place in 2017.
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Georgia Appeals Court Holds EMS Can Rely on Cancellation by Police
The Second Division Court of Appeals of Georgia has held that when police order EMS to stage, and later release them because no victim is located, there is no legal duty on the part of the medics to independently verify the police determination. The decision reverses a trial court ruling and resulted in the granting of a motion for summary judgment for the EMS provider.
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West Virginia Firefighters Plead Nolo to Financial Charges
A former fire chief and his son have pled nolo to charges involving the misuse of department funds. Thomas Perry, 53 the former fire chief of the Chapmanville Fire Department, and his son, Cody, 35, were indicted last year on embezzlement, conspiracy, and fraudulent schemes charges.
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Third Circuit Refuses to Block Township’s Decision to Eliminate PA Fire Department
The 3rd Circuit has refused to block a Pennsylvania township from eliminating one of its two volunteer fire companies. The Sassamansville Fire Co. No. 1 brought the action after New Hanover Township voted to eliminate it, claiming a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.
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Fire Law Roundup for June 5, 2023
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for June 6, 2023, Brad and Curt discuss a suit filed by DC firefighter-EMTs alleging the city reneged on pension-related promises; a lawsuit against Houston firefighters over their role in the death of a prisoner during his apprehension by police; an FLSA overtime suit brought by a former fire chief who claims he was misclassified as an exempt executive; a retaliation lawsuit brought by a Texas firefighter who claims his cooperation with a sexual harassment investigation cost him his job; and criminal charges brought against a Pennsylvania fire chief for failing to report…
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