Tag Archives: understaffing

The 3rd Circuit has upheld the dismissal of a suit brought by the estates of three Wilmington firefighters who were killed and three others who were injured in a 2016 building fire. The fire claimed the lives of LT Christopher Leach, FF Ardythe Hope, and FF Jerry Fickes. FF Brad Speakman, FF Terrance Tate, and LT John Cawthray, were seriously injured during the rescue efforts.

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An OSHA fine against a Washington state fire department for understaffing has been upheld by the state’s Department of Labor and Industries. The Camas-Washougal Fire Department was cited for violating OSHA’s two-in two-out requirement at a house fire last March. The first arriving engine was staffed with two firefighters.

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Today’s burning question: I saw your article on the Wilmington LODD lawsuit and do not understand why the families of the deceased firefighters would bother suing the city for a civil rights violation. Answer: Civil rights suits are viewed by some attorneys as a strategic “end around” the tort defenses that fire departments would typically raise in cases like this. Whether the strategy will actually work is another story.

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