Fire Law Blog

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for September 29, 2025, Brad and Curt discuss a suit against Jacksonville Fire & Rescue alleging disability discrimination for failing to accommodate a firefighter’s ADHD during a promotional process; the release of an Oregon firefighter from ICE detention after he was arrested at the scene of a wildland …

A Jacksonville firefighter has filed suit against the City of Jacksonville alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Florida Civil Rights Act (FCRA) for failure to accommodate his disability during a promotional examination.

An Oregon firefighter who was detained by immigration authorities while on assignment has been released following the filing of a federal lawsuit. Rigoberto Hernandez Hernandez, an Oregon firefighter, was detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents while assigned to the Bear Gulch Fire in Washington State. At the time he worked for a private sector wildland fire contractor.

A former firefighter has filed suit in federal court against the Fishers Fire Department alleging race, sex, and disability discrimination, as well as retaliation. The case was filed on September 24, 2025 by Lauren Gray, who joined the department in June 2022 as its first African American female firefighter

A former Clark County, Nevada firefighter who was charged last year with possessing child sexual-abuse material is now facing a second set of charges. Isiah Tureaud was arrested in January 2024 after a phone containing illicit images was discovered in his bunk at the firehouse.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan has denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit by former fire chief, Ronald Lammers, against the City of Riverview and its city manager. Chief Lammers was summarily terminated shortly after he objected to the elimination of his deputy chief.

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for September 22, 2025, Brad and Curt discuss the resignation of an FDNY assistant commissioner over a team-building exercise for aspiring firefighters that was racially insensitive; a video of Senator Hawley questioning apparatus manufacturers accused of price gouging; a lawsuit filed by a Toledo fire captain alleging race …

An incident at a Brooklyn high school set in motion a chain of events that led to the resignation of Michele Maglione, Assistant Commissioner of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), and head of its Youth Workforce Development division.

Just in case you missed Senator Hawley’s questioning of apparatus manufacturers: Update: For those interested, here is a longer version:

A captain with the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department, has filed suit alleging racial and gender discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. The complaint, filed September 18, 2025 in the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, names the City of Toledo, three chiefs, one captain, four lieutenants, and a firefighter as defendants.

Cleveland Fire Chief Anthony P. Luke has been placed on paid administrative leave following a social media post about the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. The action was announced this week by city officials after the post drew widespread attention.

A federal magistrate judge has recommended dismissal of a lawsuit filed by a longtime Graham, North Carolina firefighter who claimed he was wrongfully terminated due to age discrimination, retaliation, and other alleged violations.

The New York State Division of Human Rights has dismissed a complaint filed by former Patterson Fire Department #1 member who alleged that the department and several of its officers subjected her to unlawful discrimination and retaliation.

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for September 15, 2025, Brad and Curt discuss a wave of disciplinary investigations into social media postings by firefighters about the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025; a ruling in a disability discrimination case out of New Hampshire allowing a case to proceed …

In the wake of the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, several fire departments have opened investigations or placed employees on leave over their social media posts. At the moment, we have identified five cases that have made it into the headlines, but no doubt there are others.

A federal judge has denied the Town of Durham’s motion for summary judgment in a lawsuit filed by a former firefighter who claims he was terminated in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act, and New Hampshire law.

A lawsuit has been filed against the Los Angeles County FD and the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation alleging that a dependent child suffered repeated sexual assaults while housed at Holton Conservation Camp in Sylmar, California. The suit was filed in the fictitious name of John Doe in LA County Superior Court.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama has ruled that the City of Jasper did not violate the Fair Labor Standards Act or retaliate against firefighters who filed suit in 2023. The suit alleged firefighters had not been properly paid overtime, were retaliated against when they complained, and that the city breached their contracts relating to compensation and leave policies.

The Georgia Court of Appeals has ruled that part-time firefighters who regularly worked at least 40 hours per week, were not improperly denied full-time employee benefits by the City of Rosewell. The suit dates back to 2017, when two longtime members of the Roswell Fire Department, David Bible and Brian Rogers, filed the class action …

In this episode of Fire Law Roundup for September 8, 2025, Brad and Curt discuss the settlement of a New Hampshire lawsuit brought by a former firefighter alleging homophobic sexual harassment; a Wisconsin lawsuit alleging FMLA violations and retaliation; the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a former Topeka fire captain who claimed he was …