Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
Sometimes it is good to know that it is not just US. Of course, who we define as “US” is sometimes a tricky matter. Sometimes “US” is the fire service in general, so when there is a YCMTSU case involving the police, it reminds us that it’s not just us firefighters.
In today’s case, “US” is the American fire service, and the party with the YCMTSU trouble is a fire department in the UK. The Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) to be exact. But it could just as easily have been a fire department here in the US.
GMFRS is apparently having an ongoing problem with male firefighters having inappropriate relationships with female recruits. The department has hired a large number of women in the past two years and the problem is coming to a head. The latest headline refers to one firefighter who was suspended and a second who was given “management advice” for their indiscretions with the young lasses. Management Advice. You have to love the polite British way of saying things.
The Manchester Evening News quoted a GMFRS spokesman as saying:
- “An internal allegation of inappropriate sexual behaviour has been made against one individual and they have been temporarily suspended while we look into the allegation.
- “It would therefore be inappropriate to comment any further.
- “This is not how we expect GMFRS staff to behave and any allegations of inappropriate behaviour are and will be taken very seriously indeed.”
GMFRS commanders are reported to be “having discussions” about the situation. Here is more on the story.
And meanwhile in Cincinnati:
