You Can’t Make This Stuff Up

A UK firefighter has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for taking and sharing photos of the body of a man killed in a car crash. Cameron Hancel took the photos in March, 2023 while working for the West Midlands Fire Service.

Read More »

Two Alabama firefighters are facing criminal charges over an incident that occurred on September 20, 2024. The incident involved a firefighter who reportedly refused to stop for the county sheriff while operating a fire truck, and the department’s fire chief who was upset about the arrest.

Read More »

A Kansas City firefighter-paramedic with two pending employment discrimination lawsuits has agreed to settle both suits, and not file a third, in exchange for a $1.3 million settlement. Rebecca Reynolds, 61, alleged she endured over twenty years of harassment and discrimination.

Read More »

The YCMTSU criminal case against an Ottawa firefighter and his officer arising out of a firehouse scuffle, has come to a close with both being found not guilty of all charges. The scuffle was precipitated by what began as a friendly dispute involving a senior firefighter who wanted to handle dishwashing chores, and a rookie who insisted on doing it themselves.

Read More »

An administrative assistant with Frederick County (VA) Fire and Rescue has filed suit against the county seeking $10 million in damages for retaliation, violation of the state’s whistleblower protection law, and defamation. The complaint alleges that a “marine boot-camp” style training academy nearly killed her son in 2022, and contributed to the death of another recruit in 2023.

Read More »

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that a mayor who retaliates against a fire chief for refusing to make false statements to the public about a matter of public concern, is not entitled to qualified immunity. As a result, a mayor could be liable to the chief for violating his First Amendment rights.

Read More »

A captain with the Odessa Fire Rescue has been demoted following an investigation into nude photos taken at his firehouse. Captain Orlando Rios was suspended for 10 days without pay, and demoted to lieutenant.

Read More »

A contentious lawsuit brought by a former assistant chief in New Haven, Connecticut against several other chief officers has finally come to a conclusion. Orlando Marcano, who was the Assistant Chief of Administration, filed suit in 2019 naming Fire Chief John Alston, Assistant Chief of Operations Mark Vendetto, IAFF Local 825 Union President Frank Ricci, and an administrative assistant, Cherlyn Poindexter.

Read More »

A former EMT and fire commissioner with the Woodmere Fire District was sentenced one-year in jail for falsifying a court transcript related to the dismissal of criminal charges against him for something that occurred while he was responding to an elevator emergency.

Read More »

A Los Angeles County fire captain who was shot by a disgruntled firefighter in 2021, has reached a settlement with the shooter’s estate. Captain Arnoldo V. Sandoval suffered serious injuries including paralysis in the shooting that occurred at Station 81 on June 1, 2021 following shift change.

Read More »

A Massachusetts firefighter has been arrested on federal identity theft charges. He is suspected of having stolen the identity of a dead person following his conviction for embezzling from the firefighters’ union of a different Massachusetts fire department and using his new identity to rejoin the fire service.

Read More »

An EMS crew from Catskill, New York is facing an investigation following the release of a video showing their treatment of a patient. The crew rather callously refused to carry the man to the EMS vehicle, allowing him to fall in the ambulance between the stretcher and the bench seat.

Read More »

A firefighter in Kansas City, Missouri is facing felony charges for reportedly urinating on a female colleague’s personal property in a KC firehouse. KC police have charged Pleaze Robinson III with first-degree harassment and first-degree property damage over the incident that occurred on September 10, 2023.

Read More »

The Connecticut PIO who has charged with violating Joshua’s law on photo-taking by first responders, has filed suit against a police lieutenant, a Connecticut State Trooper and the Town of Montville alleging false arrest, malicious prosecution, abuse of process, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and civil rights violation actionable through 42 U.S.C. § 1983.

Read More »