Fire Law Blog

A former Palm Beach County firefighter has been convicted of fraudulently misappropriating $158,960 from a charity that helps folks who have cystic fibrosis. Elizabeth Genna Suarez, 34, was convicted of three counts of wire fraud yesterday by a federal court jury.

A 20-year veteran Kansas City, Kansas firefighter has filed suit claiming he was the victim of race discrimination and retaliation. Leejamahl A. Washington alleges he was subjected to racial hostilities throughout much of his career, but conditions worsened after he testified in support of Jyan Harris. Harris won a $2.3 million case in 2021.

An administrative services manager for the Rochester (MN) Fire Department has filed suit alleging age discrimination. Curtis Pronk filed suit last month claiming he was forced to resign effective August 31, 2021 to avoid his position being downgraded to a lower paying position.

Three Memphis firefighters have been terminated in the aftermath of the death of Tyre Nichols. Nichols died on January 10, 2023, three days after he was beaten by Memphis police officers who have since been charged with murder.

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for January 30, 2023, Brad and Curt discuss a race discrimination lawsuit filed by a paid-on-call lieutenant in Michigan; a ruling by the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division that four fire departments sued by a homeowner after a fire cannot be held liable for negligence because they ...

A paid-on-call lieutenant in Michigan has filed suit claiming his fire department discriminated against him on account of his race. Lieutenant Gary Reid alleges that the Farmington Hills Fire Department changed the requirements for promotion and transferred him to prevent him from promoting.

In this edition of Fire Law VLOG, Curt and Bill Maccarone discuss three recent settlements involving fire officers and overtime. The three settlements involve lawsuits filed under the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) – and in particular whether these officers are hourly employees entitled to overtime, or exempt employees who are not entitled to overtime. ...

The Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court has ruled that four fire departments sued by a homeowner after a fire cannot be held liable for negligence because they did not owe the homeowner a special duty. Franciszek C. Kulon filed suit against the Neversink Fire Department, Liberty Fire District, Loch Sheldrake Fire Department, and Grahamsville Volunteer Fire Department claiming they were negligent when they responded to a fire in his home.

An Indiana firefighter who was demoted for disobeying orders related to rumor-spreading about a subordinate’s sexual preferences, has lost his lawsuit alleging discrimination and retaliation due to his race, disability, age and use of FMLA leave. Brad Collier brought the action against the City of New Albany.

In the aftermath of murder charges against two Illinois medics, two more stories are in the news related to the deaths of patients. In Chicago, a fire department paramedic has been terminated and a second suspended following an investigation into the death of a man last summer.

An EMT with FDNY has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit claiming a high-ranking chief pursued her, and then retaliated against her when she reported his harassment. Gina Bellido filed suit against FDNY and EMS Deputy Assistant Chief Roberto Colon in US District Court.

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for January 23, 2023, Brad and Curt discuss a lawsuit filed by the family of a woman who suffered a stroke, but was mistaken for being under the influence; a discrimination lawsuit filed by an assistant chief in Texas who was terminated; two cases of firefighters facing child ...

The family of a woman who was arrested for DUI following three accidents has filed suit against the local police and fire departments who concluded she was intoxicated. Jane Carhuff, 55, was driving herself to the doctor on November 11, 2019 when the accidents occurred.

An assistant chief in Texas who was terminated in 2021 has filed suit alleging gender discrimination. Assistant Chief/Director of Communications Elisa Noriega filed suit today naming the Magnolia Volunteer Fire Department and Montgomery County ESD No. 10 as defendants.

Two fire departments in different states are dealing with unrelated cases of firefighters being charged with child pornography-related offenses. In Dallas, driver-engineer Jesse McFall is facing a felony charge of possession of child pornography.

Jackson County Circuit Court has approved the settlement of three lawsuits related to the triple-fatal apparatus accident in Kansas City in 2021. The accident involving Pumper 19, and killed Tami Knight, Jennifer San Nicholas and Michael Elwood.

The family of a Pennsylvania woman who died from COVID on January 23, 2021, has filed suit against the local fire department and several providers claiming they failed to properly evaluate and transport her to definitive care the day before.

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for January 16, 2023, Brad and Curt discuss a decision by the Supreme Court of Washington that the public duty doctrine, only applies to statutorily created duties, not common law duties;  a decision by the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court has held that a fire ...

A volunteer firefighter in New York is claiming that she was raped in the firehouse by two ranking officers. The plaintiff claims the officers, who are with the Wantagh Fire Department, first "plied" her with alcohol and then forced themselves on her.

The Supreme Court of Washington has ruled that the public duty doctrine, one of the fire service’s most important defenses to negligence claims, only applies to statutorily created duties, not common law duties. The ruling came in a suit case brought against the Seattle Fire Department alleging firefighters responded to the wrong address.