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

Tag Archives: mulch pile

Utah Supreme Court Creates Exception to Professional Rescuer Rule

In a landmark decision the Supreme Court of Utah has ruled that a firefighter injured at an emergency scene can recover from a property owner despite the professional rescuer rule when the injury results from gross negligence or intentional conduct. The 3-2 ruling handed down last week will allow a suit filed by South Salt Lake firefighter David Scott Ipsen to proceed.

LA Sues Recycling Center for Fire Costs

The City of Los Angeles has filed suit against Clean Up America over the costs of battling a trash fire that took six weeks to fully extinguish. The company operates a recycling center that had a trash pile 25 feet high, 252 feet long and 250 feet wide, with an estimated 22 million pounds of trash.

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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