Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone

A lawsuit brought by four fire alarm monitoring companies against the Village of Schaumburg, Illinois challenging an ordinance mandating direct connection of commercial and multi-residential occupancies with the fire department’s dispatch center has been dismissed seven years after it was filed.

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A North Carolina firefighter has filed suit claiming he is being retaliated against because of his advocacy on behalf of his fellow firefighters as union president. Robert Templeton filed suit against the City of High Point, the former fire chief and the current interim fire chief alleging violations of the federal and state constitutions.

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The US District Court for the District of Connecticut has dismissed a suit filed by a Hispanic fire captain with the Hartford fire Department who claims he was discriminated against by African American officers.

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In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for August 12, 2024, Brad and Curt discuss discipline to ten Cleveland firefighters over questions about working for a second department while schedule to work in Cleveland; an appellate court ruling that Houston ...

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Ten Cleveland firefighters are facing disciplinary charges after it was discovered they were working second jobs while scheduled to work in Cleveland. The investigation began after the I-Team from Fox8 revealed that Cleveland firefighters were being paid to work in the Village of Woodmere for the same hours they were being paid to work in Cleveland.

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The 14th District Court of Appeals of Texas has concluded that the City of Houston is not liable for damages arising out of an accident involving a fire investigator’s take-home vehicle. Lorraine Sanchez filed suit against the city following an accident where a fire department SUV rear-ended her vehicle while entering the ramp to I-45.

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The Virginia Court of Appeals has ruled that the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors did not have the legal authority to remove the leadership of a local volunteer fire company. The suit was brought by the duly elected officers and directors of the Flint Hill Volunteer Fire Company who were ousted following a County Board meeting in 2023.

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Two recent state supreme court decisions have called into question whether certain types of time-off for union officials violates state constitutional provisions on gifts. The Arizona & Texas Supreme Courts handed down strikingly similar rulings that differed primarily in the specifics of the time-off provisions for union officials.

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Sixteen members of the Hackensack Fire Department have filed suit seeking overtime compensation for the time they conducted various inspections outside on their normally assigned shifts. The firefighters allege they were paid $25 per hour while performing the inspections, which is substantially lower than their current hourly rate.

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In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for August 5, 2024, Brad and Curt discuss the demotion of an Odessa, Texas fire captain following an investigation into nude photos being taken in the firehouse; a lawsuit filed by a South ...

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A captain with the Odessa Fire Rescue has been demoted following an investigation into nude photos taken at his firehouse. Captain Orlando Rios was suspended for 10 days without pay, and demoted to lieutenant.

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An assistant chief who retired last year, is suing his former department and two chief officers claiming he was forced to resign after reporting misconduct. Assistant Chief Brian Christmas filed suit earlier this year naming the City of Sumter, the fire chief and an assistant chief as defendants.

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The Appellate Division of New Jersey Superior Court has upheld the termination of a firefighter who was working full-time for the military while employed full-time as a municipal firefighter, and kept each agency in the dark about his employment with the other.

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Three men have been charged in connection with a fire that claimed the life of a Chicago firefighter in 2023. FF Jermaine Pelt was killed on April 4, 2023 while fighting a fire on the south side of Chicago.

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