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

The US DOJ has filed suit against Pennsylvania alleging that the commonwealth’s sprinkler mandate for so-called “community homes” unlawfully discriminates against people with intellectual disabilities and autism. The lawsuit filed yesterday claims that the commonwealth’s enforcement of the Uniform Construction Code violates the Fair Housing Act.

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A Maryland firefighter has filed suit against a volunteer fire company and Montgomery County alleging both entities failed to accommodate his disability by making it difficult for him to have his service dog with him. Jayce Yeh filed suit against the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department and the county alleging disability discrimination.

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A volunteer firefighter in Iowa who was terminated last year, has filed suit pro se in US District Court for the District of Iowa claiming a violation of his Fourteenth Amendment rights. Paul Anthony Reed, Sr. filed suit today naming the City of West Liberty, the West Liberty Fire Department, the mayor, city manager, fire chief and assistant chief.

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In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for November 18, 2024, Brad and Curt discuss criminal charges brought against a fired Louisiana firefighter accused of stealing the department’s credit card; the dismissal of a civil rights suit brought by a ...

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A Louisiana firefighter who was terminated earlier this year, is facing charges that he used a fire department credit card to make over 180 purchases totaling over $14,000. Donald Anthony, Jr. 22, is accused of stealing a credit card belonging to the Mansfield Fire Department after he was terminated by the department in February, 2024.

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The US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has dismissed a lawsuit accusing an arson investigator of fabricating evidence and violating an arson suspect’s civil rights. The suit was brought by a firefighter who claims he and the investigator had a history that led to the arson charges being brought.

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A probationary firefighter-paramedic in Colorado who was terminated last year has filed suit alleging she was the victim of both race and gender discrimination. Cassidy Cordova filed suit in US District Court for the District of Colorado naming the South Metro Fire Rescue and three officers as defendants.

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A former Rochester, New York firefighter has been sentenced to 17 ½ years in prison on child pornography related charges. Brett Marrapese pled guilty in July, 2024 to federal charges that he received and distributed child porn.

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A former Ohio firefighter has settled his gender discrimination lawsuit for $18,000. Ethan Boes filed suit earlier this year claiming he was forced to resign in 2022.

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In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for November 11, 2024, Brad and Curt discuss the resignations of three members of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue as the investigation continues into the deadly training exercise that claimed the life of non-firefighter; ...

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Three members of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue have resigned as the investigation continues into the deadly training exercise that claimed the life of non-firefighter. Public Safety Chief James Reyes told NBC Miami that Franciso A. Camero, Steven Colon and Rafael Fernandez resigned on October 30, 2024.

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A bicyclist who claims he was injured by a Columbia River Fire & Rescue ambulance and then billed for the ambulance transport to the hospital, has filed suit seeking approximately $1 million in damages. William Hoesch filed suit in Multnomah County Circuit Court naming Columbia River Fire & Rescue and Allstate Insurance as defendants.

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The Massachusetts Court of Appeals has upheld the decision of the Springfield Fire Commissioner to bypass the promotion of a fire captain to district chef. Springfield Captain Pierre Grenier was bypassed in 2019 in favor of three lower ranked candidates.

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The termination of a West Virginia fire chief earlier this year, has been upheld the city’s civil service commission. Clarksburg Fire Chief Stephen McIntire was fired by City Manager Tiffany last June.

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