Bad Week For Fire Law Headlines

While it is rare that we see good news in the Fire Law headlines, last week saw a number of particularly unfortunate headlines for the fire service. I noticed this as I was putting together this week’s Fire Law News newsletter, and searching for today’s Fire Law headline story.

Rather than focus on a single story today, consider the following cases individually, and perhaps more importantly, collectively.

Let’s start with a story out of Indiana where two firefighters have been charged in connection with beating a third while at a party to celebrate a rookie’s first fire last November (BTW… what ever happened to the concept of “pretend like you’ve done this before…”). Apparently, an inappropriate video was somehow at the center of the dispute. Ah.. well, more correctly alcohol was at the center of the dispute, which also involved an inappropriate video. The case led to the dismissal of the fire chief and deputy chief days after the incident occurred.

• Two firefighters accused of beating third firefighter who created an obscene video

Also in Indiana, a veteran firefighter is facing termination for displaying a noose in the firehouse:

• Firefighter accused of hanging noose in office said co-workers gave it to him

In Seattle, a firefighter has been charged with cyberstalking, computer trespass, and identity theft for emailing threats to a member of the Seattle City Council member last month. Councilmember Kshama Sawant reported that the threats came in an email from a Fire Department email address. It appears the firefighter sent the email from another firefighter’s account – not to threaten the Councilmember – but to get the other firefighter in trouble with the chain-of-command.

• Seattle firefighter arrested, accused of sending threats to City Councilmember
• Update on Seattle Firefighter Arrest

In Tennessee, an intoxicated firefighter apparently tried to break into a sleeper cab of an eighteen-wheeler parked at a truck-stop off I65. He was armed at the time.

• Drunk, armed firefighter arrested following attempted robbery

In Alabama, a former fire chief was sentenced to probation following a plea agreement.

• Former Trussville fire chief gets probation, suspended sentence for auto theft and ethics violations

In Idaho, a former Nevada battalion chief accepted a plea deal that will avoid jail time for assaulting a college student who reportedly had slept with the chief’s daughter.

• Former fire chief sentenced for making threats to BYU-Idaho student

And in San Francisco, a trans paramedic filed suit claiming harassment and discrimination.

San Francisco Failed To Stop Harassment Of Trans Paramedic, Discrimination Lawsuit Alleges