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

Tag Archives: vote of no confidence

Washington Fire Chief Awarded $734k For Wrongful Termination

A Washington fire chief was who terminated following a vote of no-confidence by the firefighter’s union, has been awarded $734,376.50 in damages by a federal court. Chief David Bathke was fired in 2019 by Ocean Shores Mayor Crystal Dingler after he refused her requests to resign.

California City Pays $3.7 Million To Settle Suit With Firefighters

A lawsuit filed in 2013 by a firefighters’ union that accused the fire chief, the city manager, the mayor and city councilmembers with “ongoing retaliation, harassment, and discrimination” has been settled for $3.7 million.

Texas City Sues Fire Department

A Texas city has filed suit against its volunteer fire department seeking to obtain legal title to the department’s apparatus and equipment. The City of Huntington is suing the Huntington Volunteer Fire Department seeking a declaratory judgment that the city ...

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.

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