Wichita Firefighter Terminated for Practical Joke Fire

Posted by: Curt Varone March 18, 2011 0

A Wichita firefighter has been terminated for setting a small fire in the fire station that he intended as a practical joke. Jarrod Womack has been terminated for the January 12, 2011 prank. Five other firefighters also received discipline ranging from reprimands to suspensions.

Womack was quoted by KSN as saying “I was wrongfully terminated. Some guys in upper management have done the same kind of thing more than once.” He vowed to grieve the termination.

This is the second recent practical joke fire that cost a firefighter his job. The other case made news in January in Apopka, Florida over a fire that occured in December, 2010.   

 

About Curt Varone

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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