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Wausau EMS Division Chief Accused of Stealing Painkillers
A division chief with the Wausau Fire Department has been charged in connection with the theft of controlled substances from the department’s supply. Jared J. Thompson, 46, serves as the division chief of emergency medical services.
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Fire Law Roundup for August 25, 2025
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for August 25, 2025, Brad and Curt discuss the adoption of a Firefighter Bill of Rights in Fayetteville, Arkansas; the filing of a civil claim against the Mayor of Los Angeles by the former Fire Chief alleging defamation and retaliation; a ruling by the Fourth Circuit upholding in part and denying in part a lower court ruling in a case involving the discipline of a Lynchburg, VA firefighter; a lawsuit fired by a building owner against a Massachusetts fire captain and city over a fire code citation; and criminal charges brought against a…
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Fayetteville Adopts Firefighter Bill of Rights
The Fayetteville City Council voted unanimously last week to adopt a Firefighter Bill of Rights, making Fayetteville the first municipality in Arkansas to do so. The ordinance was enacted on August 19, 2025.
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Former LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley Files Civil Claim Against Mayor Karen Bass
Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley has filed a civil claim against Mayor Karen Bass and the City of Los Angeles. The filing, dated August 20, 2025, is a tort claim—a required procedural step before any lawsuit can be brought against a government entity.
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Fourth Circuit Rules in Lynchburg Firefighter’s Demotion Case
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has issued a mixed ruling in a case involving the demotion of a Lynchburg, Virginia firefighter who alleged sex discrimination, retaliation, and violations of Virginia’s Whistle Blower Protection Act.
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Off-Duty Firefighter Caught on Surveillance Camera Stealing American Flag
A South Florida firefighter is accused of stealing an American flag from a Key Largo home after a dispute over loud music. Surveillance footage clearly shows the firefighter climbing onto the property, removing the flag, and swimming away with it—a scene witnessed by the homeowners only after reviewing their security camera footage.
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Massachusetts Building Owner Sues Holyoke Fire Prevention Captain Over Sprinkler System Violations
A building owner in Holyoke, Massachusetts has filed suit against the city’s Fire Prevention Captain and the Holyoke Fire Department, seeking to overturn a Notice of Violation issued in connection with the building’s sprinkler and alarm systems.
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Fire Law Roundup for August 18, 2025
In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for August 18, 2025, Curt and Paul Doughty discuss the arrest of an FDNY firefighter accused of assaulting a colleague in the firehouse; the settlement of an FLSA suit in North Carolina against a volunteer fire company; a decision by the Eighth Circuit to reinstate a suit brought by an Arkansas firefighter who was terminated over a social media post; a ruling by a federal magistrate granting in part and denying in part a motion for summary judgment in a wrongful termination lawsuit brought by a former deputy chief; and an unusual suit…
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FDNY Firefighter Charged in Assault on Colleague
An FDNY firefighter has been arrested following an alleged assault on a fellow firefighter at a Staten Island firehouse earlier this month. According to multiple news sources, on the evening of August 8, 2025, an altercation occurred inside Rescue Company 5’s quarters on Staten Island.
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North Carolina Volunteer Fire Department Settles FLSA Overtime and Retaliation Lawsuit
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina has approved a settlement in a FLSA lawsuit brought by two former members of the Robinson Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue, Inc. The suit alleged that RVFD failed to pay overtime as required under the FLSA, and retaliated against firefighters for raising the issue.
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Federal Magistrate Recommends Partial Summary Judgment in FMLA and Disability Case Against Douglas County
A federal magistrate judge in the Northern District of Georgia has recommended granting in part and denying in part Douglas County’s motion for summary judgment in a lawsuit brought by former Deputy Fire Chief Eric Phillips. Chief Phillips was fired in 2023 after he failed to obtain Georgia state certification as required by state law.
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Florida Driver Sues Orange County Fire Rescue in Effort to Identify Hit-and-Run Motorist
A Florida man injured in a July 5, 2025 motor vehicle accident has filed suit against Orange County Fire Rescue seeking to compel the release of information that may identify the other driver involved. The lawsuit, filed today in Orange County Court, is styled as a “Pure Bill of Discovery.”
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