Fire Law Blog

In this edition of Fire Law Vlog, Curt and Bill Maccarone discuss proposed legislation before Congress to extend the 7k partial overtime exemption to certain EMS providers in rural areas of the country. However, the current language produces more questions than answers.

The administrator of the estate of a woman who was initially reported to have fallen, but who was later alleged to have been struck by a vehicle, has petitioned Suffolk County Supreme Court for permission to serve a late Notice of Claim against the Farmingville Fire District, the Farmingville Fire Department, the fire chief, and the district’s fire commissioners.

A New York fire district has filed suit against the bookkeeping company that handled its accounting services for nearly two decades, alleging the company refused to turn over electronic financial records, payroll templates, and other accounting data needed for the district’s operations and annual audit.

A federal magistrate judge in Texas has recommended dismissal of a civil rights lawsuit arising out of a January 2023 response to reported fires on private property while a county burn ban was in effect. The plaintiff, William Lawrence Nash, alleged that sheriff’s deputies and members of the Hunt Volunteer Fire Department unlawfully entered his property to investigate fires that he contended had been safely controlled and extinguished.

A federal appeals court has ruled that a former Illinois firefighter may continue pursuing his Title VII race discrimination and retaliation claims despite an adverse administrative termination proceeding, while affirming the dismissal of his constitutional and state-law claims.

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for June 8, 2026, Brad and Curt discuss the reversal of the convictions of two Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics over the ketamine-related death of Elijah McClain in August 2019; the termination of a Pennsylvania firefighter who was caught during an open mic moment using a racial slur; the …

The Colorado Court of Appeals has issued two significant decisions arising out of the criminal prosecutions of Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Lieutenant Peter Cichuniec for their roles in the treatment of Elijah McClain in August 2019.

A firefighter/EMT with Horsham Fire Company No. 1 in Horsham, Pennsylvania, was terminated after a racial slur was transmitted over the Montgomery County emergency radio system while crews were responding to a fatal motor vehicle crash.

We have covered the anti-trust lawsuits filed against the fire apparatus manufacturers since the first one was filed by the City of La Crosse on August 20, 2025. The last time I blogged about these suits was February 12, 2026. While the suits continued to be filed, I hadn’t paid too much attention to them beyond robotically adding cases to my database whenever I came across them.

Two retired Boston chief officers will not receive additional compensation for unused comp time after the Massachusetts Appeals Court ruled that the City of Boston had no contractual or statutory obligation to cash out the accumulated leave upon their retirement.

A volunteer firefighter and Lieutenant with the Pardeeville Fire Department in Wisconsin has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that he was suspended and ultimately dismissed from the department in retaliation for raising concerns about safety, leadership, and department operations.

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for June 1, 2026, Brad and Curt discuss a challenge to the dismissal of a San Antonio who was lawfully prescribed low-THC cannabis; a ruling by an Ohio appellate court upholding the termination of a Columbus firefighter who violated the city’s anti-harassment policies and workplace conduct rules; a …

A San Antonio firefighter-paramedic claims he was effectively forced out of the San Antonio Fire Department after testing positive for THC despite participating in Texas’ Compassionate Use Program and possessing documentation showing his use of legally prescribed low-THC cannabis.

An Ohio appellate court has upheld the termination of a Columbus firefighter whose comments to coworkers led to findings that he violated the city’s anti-harassment policies and workplace conduct rules. The case involved FF Robin Garrison of the Columbus Division of Fire, who was terminated in 2021 following two separate investigations.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a Bellevue firefighter who sought a religious accommodation from Washington state’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The decision issued today, affirmed summary judgment in favor of the City of Bellevue in a suit brought by Firefighter/EMT Justin Jobes.

The Indiana Court of Appeals has granted the request of East Chicago Professional Firefighters Local 365 to send a lawsuit against the city back to trial court. The firefighters alleged the city violated Indiana Code which requires firefighters to receive at least 24 hours off in every 8-day period, as well as an ordinance that provides for six “reduction days” totaling 144 hours annually.

A Baltimore County volunteer firefighter has been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged sexual assault involving a fellow firefighter. According to Baltimore County Police, officers responded on May 5, 2026 to the Liberty Road Volunteer Fire Company in Randallstown for a reported sexual assault.

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for May 25, 2026, Brad and Curt discuss a  whistleblower retaliation suit brought by a Florida deputy chief; a federal court decision throwing out a race discrimination and wrongful termination lawsuit brought by a Virginia firefighter; the reinstatement of an Iowa fire chief who sued earlier this year …

A deputy chief with Miramar Fire Rescue has filed suit against the city alleging retaliation in violation of the Florida Whistleblower Act. The complaint was filed in Broward County Circuit Court by Bruce Britton, who alleges he held multiple positions with the city, including Deputy Fire Chief.

A federal court in Virginia has granted summary judgment in favor of the City of Lynchburg in a lawsuit brought by former Firefighter Brian Younger, who alleged race discrimination and retaliation under Title VII and Section 1981 following his termination from the Lynchburg Fire Department.