The New Hampshire legislature is considering a law to reverse a ruling last year by the state Supreme Court that limited the application of the Fireman’s Rule. The Fireman’s Rule is a legal theory that limits the right of firefighters, ...

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How long is too long? When it comes to the duration of consent decrees intended to address discriminatory practices in fire departments, that is a question that many firefighters ask. In the case of Leesville, Louisiana it took 32 years ...

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It has been a long wait, but Miami Dade Fire Captain Brian Beckmann finally had his day in court… or more correctly his day before an arbitrator… to review his Facebook related demotion. Last spring, Captain Beckmann posted a comment ...

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The strange case involving retired Pittsburgh fire captain David Cerminara appears to have come to a close. Captain Cerminara filed a lawsuit in Federal Court last summer alleging that the city wrongfully withheld his severance check in retaliation for his ...

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The Los Angeles City Fire Department is in the fire law headlines again, this time over an unusual legal issue: a misconduct complaint filed against city attorneys… by an attorney… who works for the city… although not technically a “city ...

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Here’s another twist on the “armed firefighter” debate. An arson investigator in Columbus, Ohio is under investigation for pulling a handgun during an altercation described as a “road-rage” incident. The incident took place on January 2, 2013 when investigator Jeffrey ...

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An Oklahoma fire chief who opted to retire in the face of relentless personal attacks by a self-appointed public interest group has filed a defamation action against the men he believes are responsible. Fire Chief Dale Parrish retired last summer ...

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A grieving mother who lost her three children and her parents in a tragic Christmas morning fire in 2011, has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Stamford, Connecticut and local officials for the wrongful demolition of her home ...

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An Illinois deputy chief is facing serious criminal charges after a bizarre off-duty incident that occurred over the weekend. Gary M. Swiercz, 49, of the  Chicago Ridge Fire Department, is accused of breaking into a neighbors apartment, threatening to slit ...

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A Denver fire lieutenant who claims he has been subjected to race discrimination and retaliation since 2006 will finally have his day in court. US District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson ruled on January 2, 2013 that Lieutenant Thomas R. ...

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I came across this humorous story from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform, and while I do not share their views on the need for legal reform… and am certain there is more to each of these ...

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Today’s Burning Question: In our city we have the luxury of a police force nearby, however, just like us they are increasingly busy. Many times we wait a significant amount of time for an officer to arrive on a scene ...

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A “small” volunteer fire department in Texas is pledging to re-open its doors just three days after it was closed by its Emergency Service District. The Sandy Oaks Volunteer Fire Department was ordered to stop responding to emergencies at midnight ...

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The death of a volunteer firefighter who was responding to fire in Nipissing, Ontario has prompted criminal charges being filed against the fire department. Firefighter Paul Nelson, 21, was killed on December 27, 2011 when the engine he was driving ...

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