Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
An elected official in Illinois says she is tired of being harassed by volunteer firefighters sounding their horns when they drive fire apparatus by her house. However, according to the fire chief her strategy may prompt many members of the department to quit in protest.
Albion City Alderwoman Karen Shupe has filed two Freedom of Information Act requests with the City of Albion requesting documents from the Albion Volunteer Fire Department that she hopes will help her discover who was driving the apparatus at the times when the horns were blown. Last week she asked for the records of all fire department meetings and activities since last April.
The Navigator Journal is reporting that Fire Chief Kent Nale is concerned that Shupe’s strategy may lead to a mass walkout by firefighters. Shupe and the firefighters have been at odds for some time, with the firefighters claiming she has been “sticking her nose” where it doesn’t belong, and her contending the way the fire department runs is a matter of concern to her and her constituents.
