General legal issues

The Five Craziest Fire Law Stories of 2022

Happy New Year to everyone out there! May 2023 be the year that ends Covid, the war in Ukraine, and all the seemingly unsolvable challenges we faced in 2022, individually and collectively. Here is my listing of the TOP FIVE CRAZIEST fire law stories from 2022.

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Fire Law Roundup – March 7, 2022

In this episode, Brad and Curt discuss the dismissal of a lawsuit against the Dallas Fire Department over an alleged assault of a homeless, mentally disable man; the settlement of a discrimination lawsuit resulting in a former fire chief receiving $400k... and more

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Year in Review: The Top Fire Law Stories of 2019

Happy New Year and Welcome 2020! Today I wanted to review the Fire Law stories that I think are the most important. We will look that them in terms lawsuits filed, cases to watch, judgment and settlements, significant legal rulings, and of course YCMTSU.

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Top Fire Law Headlines of 2019

As 2019 comes to a close, I thought we could take a look at the top headlines in the Fire Law News. Today we will look at the most popular stories based upon Facebook engagements, likes and shares, and Twitter. Here are Facebook’s Top 10 based on Engagements...

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Fire Law VLOG

This is our first Fire Law VLOG, with several more expected this week as we deliver the Fair Labor Standards Act for Fire Departments program in Westminster, Colorado. Also in the fire law news today...

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Georgia Firefighters Caught Up In Tax Return Scam

An income tax return preparer in Georgia that catered to firefighters is being investigated for tax fraud, and now the state is reviewing the returns of 1,400 taxpayers, most of whom are firefighters. The Georgia Department of Revenue has confirmed it is reviewing 1,400 returns prepared by Kim Griffin’s Tax Time.

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2017 Year in Review

Happy New Year!!! Here are some of the top stories from 2017 broken down by category: Under the category of Funniest Headline: Defense Attorney's Pants Catch Fire During Arson Trial

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Annual Review of 2017 Fire Law Headlines

It’s time for the annual review of the top Fire Law news stories of 2017. Every year it is so hard to objectively evaluate a year’s worth of stories. My solution is to look at stories in several different ways. First, let’s look at the 10 most viewed stories of 2017.

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Boilerplate Language In Policies

Today’s burning question: Many of our policies have a boilerplate statement saying that “company officers shall enforce this policy” and the “failure to follow this policy will result in disciplinary action.” Is this language really necessary? Answer: While there is nothing inherently wrong with such language… I am not a fan of it. It implies that your members are not inclined to follow the rules unless threatened…

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Sick Leave and Hypocrisy

Today’s burning question: My fire department has a sick leave policy that states "Members of the Department on sick leave, when not hospitalized, are expected to remain at home, unless authorized by a physician for light duty." There are exceptions for medical care, prescriptions, etc. Is this a legal and supportable policy?

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PA Fire Company Files Bankruptcy

A volunteer fire company in Pennsylvania filed bankruptcy last week after a bank started foreclosure proceedings against it in December. The Conneaut Lake Volunteer Fire Department filed for protection under Chapter 11 on January 12, 2016, seeking relief from the Mercer County State Bank.

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Pennsylvania Township Sues EMS Provider

Exeter Township in Pennsylvania has filed suit against the Exeter Ambulance Association for $52,000 in unpaid fuel and repair bills that have been growing for nearly two years. Until recently, the EMS provider had been allowed to get fuel at the township’s pumps and have its vehicles serviced by the township.

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Michigan Condo Loses Battle to Block New Fire Station

The Michigan Supreme Court has denied an attempt by a condo association to block the construction of a new fire station. The Autumn Park Condominium Association was seeking to prevent the Meridian Charter Township from building a new 10,700-square-foot fire station near their condo complex. The association was apparently concerned that the fire station would adversely affect their quality of life and diminish the value of their property.

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