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

International

Sexual Assault Alleged in London Fire Station

A woman is claiming she was sexually assaulted in a London, England fire station following a Christmas Party on December 19, 2011. Scotland Yard is investigating the case that appears to involve two firefighter-colleagues. The Daily Mail is reporting that ...

Swedish Firefighter Wins Reverse Discrimination Suit

Employment discrimination suits have become an unfortunate commonplace in the American fire service. Roughly two out of every 5 suits involving fire departments is a discrimination suit, with aproximately 40% of those being reverse discrimination cases. In Sweden, a man seeking a summer job as a ...

DNR Tattoos: Are You Kidding Me?

Here is one for all the paramedic legal eagles out there: You arrive on the scene of an unconscious 80 year old female. During the course of your patient assessment you notice a tattoo on her chest stating “Do Not ...

Scottish Firefighter Lost the Plot

“Lost the Plot”…. No its not a typo. I usually do not cover legal matters from other countries, but there was something intriguing about this story and the common language that separates the US from the UK. A senior firefighter from ...

Should Firefighters Be Able To Sue?

“We live in a culture of litigation now, and I suppose the fire service isn’t any different from any others in that sense.” Interesting quote … from a former firefighter … and South Ayrshire Councillor John Allan about the settlement ...

UK boy dies as ambulance crew takes break

UK boy dies as ambulance crew takes break. Some times its nice to know that the craziness that seems to be all around us is not just a problem here in the US. But seriously, tea time?

British Firefighter Files Sexual Harassment Suit

A female firefighter with the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has filed suit claiming she has been sexually harassed and bullied by male firefighters. Sandra Tilke alleges the treatment began in 2002 after she refused to join a ...

British Firefighter Found Not Guilty in Fatal Apparatus Case

The jury has returned a not guilty verdict in the case I reported on earlier this week of Bedfordshire firefighter Robert Hulatt, charged with one count of causing a death by dangerous driving, and a lesser charge of causing death by ...

British Firefighter On Trial in Fatal Apparatus Accident

A British firefighter is facing a retrial on charges stemming from a 2009 apparatus accident that killed a civilian, and injured 10 others. Bedfordshire firefighter Robert Hulatt, 28 was responding to a house fire on September 11, 2009 when his ...

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Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.

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