Monthly Archives: November 2011

Fire Chief’s Termination Met With Protests

It is hardly unusual these days for a fire chief to be terminated. Fire chiefs are under attack from all sides – including angry firefighters, and upset political bosses. What is unusual is when a community rallies around a fired ...

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Congressman Drops Wildland Suit Against Billings FD

Montana Congressman Denny Rehberg has agreed to drop his controversial lawsuit against the Billings Fire Department over the handling of a 2008 wildland fire on his ranch. The suit, filed in 2010, alleged that Billings firefighters were negligent in failing ...

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Ohio Lieutenant Indicted For Fire Truck Parts Scam

An Ohio volunteer fire lieutenant and a mechanic have been indicted and charged with operating a $180,000 fire apparatus parts scam. Milton Township Volunteer Fire Department lieutenant Phillip Bruss and mechanic Dale Butter were charged with theft and receiving stolen ...

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LA Captain Accused of Bogus Payroll Scheme

A Los Angeles fire captain is on paid administrative leave as the LAFD investigates how he was able to receive nearly $80,000 in additional compensation from the department in 2010. Captain Eric Vasquez was assigned to supervise time sheet recordkeeping, ...

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Swedish Firefighter Wins Reverse Discrimination Suit

Employment discrimination suits have become an unfortunate commonplace in the American fire service. Roughly two out of every 5 suits involving fire departments is a discrimination suit, with aproximately 40% of those being reverse discrimination cases. In Sweden, a man seeking a summer job as a ...

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Non-Identification Policies

Today’s burning question: My fire department’s policy prohibits me from identifying myself publically as a member of the department. When I lecture I cannot indicate my department, nor can I mention it during my presentation.  I was wondering if I ...

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Illinois Acting Chief Charged With Felony Theft

An acting fire chief in Illinois has been placed on paid administrative leave and charged with one count of theft related to the falsification of hours. Deputy Chief Ronald Pieri of the City of Highwood Fire Department is facing felony ...

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