Posts Categorized: Sherman Frederick
Erie Firefighter to Get Her Job Back
The Erie firefighter who was terminated from the department after she tried to commit suicide by setting fire to clothes in a bathtub, has won her job back. Mary Wolski, 45, the department’s first female firefighter, set the fire hoping that the smok…
Read More »
Controversial West Palm Fire Captain Beats DUI Charge
A controversial West Palm Beach firefighter is back in the news following his acquittal on DUI charges. Fire Captain Rick Curtis was originally convicted of drunk driving back in May, sentenced to 3 days in jail, and terminated from West Palm Beach Fire …
Read More »
Terminated Riverside Fire Chief Sues Under ADA
An Illinois fire chief who was terminated by the Village of Riverside last February has filed suit against the village and a fire officer who repeatedly complained about him drinking on duty.
Fire Chief Kevin Mulligan filed suit in Federal Court on Nove…
Read More »
Fire Chief’s Termination Met With Protests
It is hardly unusual these days for a fire chief to be terminated. Fire chiefs are under attack from all sides – including angry firefighters, and upset political bosses.
What is unusual is when a community rallies around a fired fire chief. That is…
Read More »
Not Your Typical Embezzlement Case: Virginia Chief Fights Back
There have been a number of fire service embezzlement cases that have been covered in this blog the past few years. Most involve the theft of large sums from volunteer fire companies by trusted officials. A few involve thefts by elected union officials …
Read More »
Kansas Chief Seeks $1.3 million for Sex Discrimination
A deputy chief who was laid off by the Topeka Fire Department in 2010 due to budget cuts, has filed a claim for $1.3 million alleging that the elimination of her position, and the refusal to rehire her for a training position, was gender based and retali…
Read More »
Florida Firefighter Files Wrongful Termination Suit For Union Comments
A Florida firefighter has filed a wrongful termination suit claiming he was illegally fired last March in retaliation for his support for a union. John Carter was fired from the Freeport Fire Department on March 17, 2011 allegedly because he committed se…
Read More »
Boston Local Sues Over 7 EMT Related Resignations
Boston Firefighters, IAFF Local 718 filed suit against the city today following the forced resignation of seven probationary firefighters who failed to obtain then EMT license within their first year of service.
The local alleges the EMT requirement h…
Read More »
Terminated West Virginia Firefighter Reinstated – But Concerns Continue
A strange case out of West Virginia seems to be coming somewhat back down to earth. Firefighter AJ Shinn, 34, of the Nitro Fire Department was accused of being 2 minutes late for work on April 14, 2011. He was given a 2 day suspension without pay, a…
Read More »
Oregon Firefighter’s Family Sues Department Over Suicide
The family of a veteran Salem, Oregon firefighter who committed suicide in 2009, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.
Read More »
Texas Firefighter Reinstated By Arbitrator
A Texas firefighter has his job back thanks to a decision by an arbitrator. Firefighter Robert Vargas of the McAllen Fire Department was terminated in January after he lied to investigators about a minor Halloween mishap with an engine company. Th…
Read More »
North Carolina Court of Appeals Uphold Validity of Chief’s Contract
On Tuesday, the North Carolina Court of Appeals issued a ruling in the case of Fire Chief Steven Earl Elliott, formerly of the Enka-Candler Fire and Rescue Department. Chief Elliott had an employment agreement with the department through October 31,…
Read More »
West Palm Beach Controversy Takes Strange Turn
A controversial West Palm Beach fire captain who was recently convicted of DUI, has won a new trial based on judicial misconduct. He now wants his job back and claims the entire matter is part of a conspiracy against him.
Captain Rick Curtis has been …
Read More »
Fire Department Discipline: How Much is Enough?
Fire Department Discipline: How Much is Enough?
A career firefighter and his company officer are accused of engaging in a road rage incident while their engine company is responding to an alarm.
A three volunteer firefighters are accused of sexuall…
Read More »
Demoted Roanoke Captain Sues For Gender Discrimination Over Sex In Station
An unusual case that was in the news a few weeks ago as a discipline case has resurfaced as a Federal Court sex discrimination case. The details of the case are complicated, so let’s run through them quickly.
On April 15, 2010, Deborah Van Ness, a…
Read More »
Bourne Firefighter Alleges Free Speech Violation in Facebook Termination Case
The Bourne, Massachusetts firefighter who was fired last February for a series of postings on Facebook has filed suit in Federal court challenging his termination and alleging that the Town violated his 1st Amendment rights.
Richard Doherty was termi…
Read More »
Roanoke Fire Captain Gets Reprieve For Sex in Station
I am not sure where to begin with this one. The titles I considered will give you some idea of the possible directions this post could have taken:
Roanoke Captain Called A Boon to Local Attorneys (2 lawsuits and a grievance hearing in just over a yea…
Read More »
Sex Discrimination Or Legitimate Disciplinary Termination of a Probationary Employee
Was it the lie she told that got her fired, or was the lie just a convenient excuse to get rid of a female firefighter who forced her way on the job to begin with? That is the issue at the center of a lawsuit filed last week in the US District Court for…
Read More »
British Firefighter Files Sexual Harassment Suit
A female firefighter with the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has filed suit claiming she has been sexually harassed and bullied by male firefighters. Sandra Tilke alleges the treatment began in 2002 after she refused to join a strike.
It i…
Read More »
Court Orders Dekalb County Captain Reinstated
A Dekalb County fire captain who was terminated in the aftermath a fatal fire in 2010, has been ordered reinstated by a DeKalb County judge.
Captain Sell Caldwell was terminated following the January 24, 2010 fire in Dunwoody that claimed the life of …
Read More »
Texas Firefighter Sues City Over Use of Criminal Files
A Texas firefighter who (1) was fired because of an off duty assault, (2) beat the assault charges, (3) successfully appealed his termination to an arbitrator, and then (4) battled the city to sustain the arbitrator’s ruling, has filed a lawsuit clai…
Read More »
Former Chicago Fire Commish Sues Mayor and Predecessor
The former Fire Commissioner of the Chicago Fire Department has filed suit against Mayor Richard Daley claiming the mayor and his chief of staff forced him to resign over false sexual harassment allegations.
Chief John Brooks resigned on May 7, 2010 a…
Read More »
Another California Fire Chief Sues City
In what seems to be a disturbing trend, the third California fire chief in the past 2 weeks has filed suit against his employer. Fire Chief Ron Hittle filed suit last Thursday against the city of Stockton, seeking to challenge the city’s right to fi…
Read More »
Firefighter’s First Amendment Rights Extends to Emails… Even Ones With False Statements
On Thursday, the Indiana Supreme Court handed down a decision in the email discipline case of firefighter Bradley Love of the Sugar Creek Township Fire Department. Love was a volunteer/part-time firefighter in the combination fire department.
The case…
Read More »
Another California Fire Chief Sues Employer
Another California fire chief has filed an employment related suit against a city, the second such filing in a week. Chief Dave Kapler filed suit against the city of Alameda, claiming he was wrongfully forced out of his job last fall.
Chief Kapler cla…
Read More »
