Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone

Tag Archives: Toledo Fire Chief Brian Byrd

Fired Toledo Recruit Claims Instructors Taught Him Wrong Way Because of His Race

A firefighter recruit who failed a final practical exercise involving ventilating a roof with a chainsaw and then failed a retest, is now suing Toledo claiming instructors gave him wrong information so he would be terminated. Major Smith III is accusing the city, the mayor, the fire chief and retired fire chief of race discrimination.

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.

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