Fire Law Blog Fire Service and Public Safety Legal Issues Blog by Curt Varone
The Seattle Times is reporting that the City of Seattle has completed an internal investigation into allegations that Seattle Fire Department (SFD) employees may have submitted fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards in violation of the city’s 2021 vaccine mandate.
The investigation began after a public records request uncovered Signal app messages exchanged in 2021 between a deputy chief and several SFD personnel. The messages included references to distributing blank vaccination cards, which investigators believe were taken from a now-closed fire department vaccination clinic. In one exchange, deputy chief allegedly told a lieutenant, “I got you a piece of art,” believed to be a coded reference to a blank CDC-issued vaccination card.
The city hired outside investigator Jennifer Parda-Aldrich to examine whether any SFD employees used blank cards to falsely represent their vaccination status. Her report, issued in April 2025 and publicly released in June, concluded that the evidence raised “serious concerns” but was not sufficient to establish that falsification actually occurred. The report noted that the city’s system for verifying vaccination status relied primarily on visual inspection of vaccination cards and did not routinely cross-check state vaccination records, which required employee consent.
The City of Seattle implemented a mandatory vaccination policy in August 2021, requiring all municipal employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. While the vast majority of employees complied, over 500 were placed on leave due to medical or religious exemptions. The fire department had one of the highest numbers of exemption-related absences among city agencies.
According to city officials, the SFD has not taken disciplinary action against any employees in connection with the investigation. However, the department has stated it remains open to reopening the matter should additional evidence come to light.
The Seattle Times first reported on the investigation and obtained a copy of the investigative report through a public records request. More on the story.
