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

Tag Archives: TOMA

Texas Court Rejects District Chief’s Appeal

A former district chief with the Beaumont Fire Department who was fired while on disability, has lost the appeal of the dismissal of his lawsuit. Chief Billy Fratus filed suit in 2017 accusing the department of discriminating against him on account of his Hispanic ancestry and for speaking out against harassment in the workplace.

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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