Politics

The Columbia River Fire & Rescue is facing a $20 million lawsuit filed by recently fired Fire Chief Joel Medina. The suit filed in US District Court for the District of Oregon names the fire district, four members of the fire district board, IAFF Local 3215 St. Helen’s Professional Fire Fighters Association, and several current and former officers of Local 3215.

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An already complicated legal quagmire in Labtrobe, Pennsylvania has gotten even more complicated with the filing of another civil suit. Firefighter Robert S. Forish filed suit against the Latrobe Volunteer Fire Department, the fire chief, the fire company president, and a county police detective claiming they conspired to purse criminal changes against him in 2021 without probable cause and in retaliation for his exercise of his free speech rights.

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The New York Daily News is reporting that recently filed court documents in the contentious age discrimination suit brought against Commissioner Laura Kavanaugh by several FDNY chiefs alleges that she was slow to react to the fire problem with e-bike lithium-ion batteries for political reasons.

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A volunteer firefighter has filed suit against the Borough of Allendale claiming that elected officials wrongfully refused to confirm his promotion to assistant chief. Michael Pina filed suit against the borough, the director of emergency management, the fire chief and the fire administrator accusing them of an assortment of claims.

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An FLSA lawsuit filed by ten battalion chiefs with the Alexandria Fire Department has come to a rather surprising conclusion. The US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia granted summary judgment to the city based upon a rarely used exemption for fire officers: the highly compensated employee exemption.

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Five dual function EMT-firefighters with the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services have filed a class action lawsuit alleging that the city has reneged on pension-related promises. The complaint seeks to require the city to comply with its contractual and statutory pension obligations, as well alleging the city was motivated in denying them their benefits due to their race and gender.

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In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for May 22, 2023, Brad and Curt discuss a lawsuit filed by a New York volunteer fire company against contractors over toxic fill used in the construction of a new firehouse; the filing ...

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A Los Angeles County jury has awarded a former fire chief $4.1 million in damages for wrongful termination and an assortment of employment related counts. Former West Covina fire chief Larry Whithorn claimed he was terminated after a lengthy campaign by a handful of local officials.

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New York’s Fox5 interviewed three FDNY chiefs about the two lawsuits they filed against the city and Commissioner Laura Kavanagh earlier this year. The suits allege retaliation, age discrimination and violations of due process.

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A report by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services has concluded that bullying, harassment, and discrimination are widespread in the 44 fire service organizations in England. Titled Values and Culture in Fire and Rescue Services, the 59 page report reaches a blunt conclusion: “It is time for this behaviour to stop.”

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Criminal charges against a Connecticut firefighter for violating an emergency scene photo-taking law, have been dismissed. Steven Frischling, the public information officer for the Chesterfield Fire Company, was charged in 2021 with violating Joshua’s Law.

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Three FDNY chief officers who filed suit against Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh last month, have filed a second lawsuit, this one accusing her of age discrimination. Deputy Chief Michael Gala, Deputy Chief Joseph Jardin, and Deputy Assistant Chief Michael Massucci filed suit in Kings County Supreme Court.

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The International Association of Firefighters has filed suit against the National Fire Protection Association claiming that portions of NFPA 1971 wrongfully impose requirements on structure fire turnout gear that, in essence, mandate the use of cancer-causing PFAS. The three-count complaint alleges civil conspiracy, violation of Massachusetts’ unfair and deceptive trade practices act, and negligence.

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In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for March 6, 2023, Brad and Curt discuss a volunteer theft case out of North Carolina; a Louisiana Court of Appeals ruling on cancer presumptions for firefighters; a Ninth Circuit decision holding the ...

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