Posts Categorized: Ethics
A Medic Roast in Tennessee
In this post I make the statement "If you’ve been a paramedic in the field for any length of time and this article doesn’t scare you, you’ve not been much of a paramedic for any length of time." It will, trust me.
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Another Cheating Scandal Allegation: San Francisco FD
A cheating scandal with racial overtones has been alleged in the San Francisco Fire Department.
Battalion Chief Kevin Taylor has alleged that senior officials provided assistance to white officers on a promotional examination for assistant ch…
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NY Fire Department Settles Military Discrimination Suit
The Gloversville, NY Fire Department has settled a claim filed by a firefighter/military veteran who alleged a violation of the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act (USERRA).
Firefighter Kyle Partlow served in the Air Nation…
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Social Media Case of Cyber Bullying and Harassment: Frenchtown, Montana
Over the past year, we have seen a number of social media related cases end the career of firefighters. However, this case out of Frenchtown Rural Fire Department in Montana is different from the others we have seen.
In Frenchtown, Fire Chief John Bibler…
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Albuquerque Fire Bans FMB Stickers
The Albuquerque Fire Department has taken the dramatic step of banning a controversial new sticker that firefighters began placing on their helmets recently. The stickers have the letters "FMB" inside a maltese cross, and the Mayor, Richard Ber…
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Ethics Charges Settled With EMS Chief
The former chief of EMS for FDNY has been slapped with a hefty fine by the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board. Chief John Peruggia, who was demoted in early January following numerous complaints over the city’s response to the December 26, 2010 blizz…
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Who Owns The Photo: the Firefighter or the Fire Department
I received an interesting question concerning the ownership of photos taken by on-duty firefighters and thought the subject was worth discussing here in Fire Law Blog. The question: who legally owns a photo taken by an on-duty firefighter, the firefighte…
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Fire District Charged with Open Meetings Law Violation
Rhode Island's attorney general has filed suit against a fire district for violation of the state's open meeting law. According to Attorney General Patrick Lynch, the Albion Fire District has been warned on two prior occasions about violating the…
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New Jersey Township in Legal Quagmire over EMS Squad
A New Jersey bank has filed a lawsuit against the Lebanon Township First Aid Squad in New Jersey Superior Court asking for $57,055 in principal, interest and legal fees related to a 2009 loan made to the squad. The squad is a private volunteer organizati…
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Indecent Exposure by New Mexico Firefighter – could cost him his security clearance and his job
A Los Alamos, New Mexico firefighter has been charged with indecent exposure after a woman complained that he flashed her in broad daylight. Firefighter Brandon Gore was placed on administrative leave by the Fire Department pending outcome of the misdeme…
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Chief Suspended Over Bumpernuts
OK, this one is almost too easy, and thanks to my friends who passed it along. Where do we begin. A fire chief has been suspended for his role in a refusing to remove a pair of plastic testicular replicas (aka Bumpernuts) from one of his fire trucks.
Chi…
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Michigan Sexual Harassment Suit Settled for $400k
A former Michigan fire lieutenant has settled a sexual harassment lawsuit against her former fire department and former fire chief. Blythe Amenson filed her lawsuit earlier this year in Genesee County Circuit Court asserting sexual harassment, discrimina…
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Photographer Charged with Impersonating Emergency Responder in NH
A New Hampshire photographer for 1st Responder News has been charged with impersonating an emergency responder at an accident scene last August 25, 2010. Charges were filed yesterday, November 23, 2010, against Brian K. Blackden, 46, of…
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Thanksgiving Comes Early For 2 Clinton, Iowa Chiefs
Two Clinton, Iowa fire officials who had been terminated in the aftermath of a Federal EMS billing scandal, have been being reinstated by the Clinton Civil Service Commission. The decision handed down Tuesday, November 23, 2010 ordered that Fire Chief Ma…
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Buffalo LODD Lawsuit Update
The tragic death of Buffalo Fire Lt. Charles McCarthy and FF Jonathan Croom on August 24, 2009, sparked lawsuits earlier this year by the families of the deceased firefighters. A recent update by a local news station indicates that one of the…
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Inappropriate On-Duty Internet Activity Claims Nashville Fire Captain
It is not uncommon for members of the public to complain about governmental waste. We have all had to explain to angry taxpayers that it doesn’t cost $2,000 or even $20 to drive an engine company from the fire station to the grocery store, or how it is…
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A Late-Night Rant about Petty Politics in EMS
Tonight, I had a bit of a rant that I let fly... Who am I kidding, it was a full-blown Hissy. I'm tired of the politics in EMS and I'm ranting about it. If I start the change, will you join me?
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What Difference Does EMS Make? Choose Your Own Ending
I got a little philisophical with this post and I'd like you to pick the ending I should use. What do the three cases I present mean to you?
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You Can Nap if You Want To! Or You can Leave Your Calls Behind!
You can Nap if you want to! You can leave Leth-ar-Gee Behind! Because EMS can nap and if they don't nap - they leave, Patient Care behind. - Introducing the "Safety Nap" Who's with me?
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Four Words: EMS, Apathy, Disgrace, Massachusetts.
You've heard about the Mass. 200, right? Well, this is my take on it. The system may be broken, but they needed to do more than just ignore it. There's more.
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Saved by the Bell? High School Student EMS
Remember High School? I do. I was the geeky kid who did show choir. I played football too, though. I was young, naive, and inexperienced. I also desperately wanted to be on an ambulance before I was 18. Was that a good idea? Some communities are doing just that. I was for it... but should I have been?
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Huddled Masses. Healthcare. Honor. EMS.
Undocumented Immigrants? Illegal Immigration? Where do we stand on this as EMS professionals? What do we do?
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Trust… It’s everything
This post is about when "Stuff gets real". It's about trusting your colleagues and yourself to perform when everything's on the line. It's about trusting your fellow EMTs and paramedics to perform when it's your loved-one on the line. Do you trust them? Do you trust yourself?
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Any Random Person
Hey, I could do that ALS stuff. Any Random Person could do some of that stuff. Right? Well, I counter that it takes a VERY SPECIAL KIND of random person to be a good ALS provider.
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Two Cases, One letter – From one Paramedic’s struggles, change can come
A letter I got from a fellow Paramedic has caused me to write a long tyrade on the state of EMS. This post will make you mad. It will challenge you and challenge our profession. You will probably see yourself in the words this Paramedic wrote to me. We Need Change.
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