Hey,
Of special attention and interest to all Fire Officers, (and those who aspire to be), a NY state appeals court has reinstated a lawsuit against the Manlius and Pompey Hill (NY) fire departments in the Line of Duty death of a Volunteer Firefighter (2 FF’s were killed) operating at a Pompey house fire in 2002. The state Supreme Court Appellate Division concluded the law granting personal immunity to Volunteer Firefighters does not apply to the fire departments themselves or to department officials. The lawsuit stems from the Line of Duty death of Firefighter Timothy Lynch in a fire March 7, 2002, at a dwelling in Pompey. Manlius Firefighter John Ginocchetti also died in the Line of Duty at that fire (details below).
FF Lynch’s widow, Donna Prince Lynch, sued Onondaga County and then-county Fire Coordinator Mike Waters in 2003. The county responded to that lawsuit by suing the Pompey Hill Fire District, the Pompey Hill Fire Department, Assistant Chiefs Richard Abbott and Mark Kovalewski, the village of Manlius, the Manlius Fire Department, Deputy Chief Raymond Dill and homeowner Joseph Messina.
MORE THIS MOST RECENT ACTION HERE: http://tinyurl.com/246oh3n
HERE are several related articles and links of interest about the above fire:
http://www.volunteerfd.org/article/400128/ (About the Fire & the "charges")
http://tinyurl.com/yljpyww (About Incident Commander & Fire Officer Liability)
http://tinyurl.com/2aooysm (More on the NY State Charges)http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face200206.html (THE NIOSH LODD REPORT)
FLORIDA FIREFIGHTER SETS HIS "BROTHER" FIREFIGHTER ON FIRE
A veteran City of Apopka Firefighter has resigned after he was charged with lighting his co-worker on fire during a Christmas party last month. Jason Leblanc, 44, is charged with arson and arson resulting in the injury of another, FF Leblanc has been a firefighter for eight years. Leblanc and the victim, 25-year-old Jack Shumate, were at a private Christmas party on Dec. 18 with several others when Shumate was burned. The fire occurred around midnight when Leblanc allegedly poured lighter fluid on Shumate’s legs and lit him on fire. Shumate was transported to Florida Hospital Apopka with second-degree burns on his legs. He has been unable to work since the fire. Shumate, who has been with the department for one year, declined to press charges against Leblanc.
NORTH CAROLINA 17 YEAR OLD FIREFIGHTER RESPONDING CRASH UPDATE:Hugh’s Pond Fire Firefighter Clay Thornburg remains in critical condition. As you know, he crashed his personal vehicle while responding on a fire call last week, when his vehicle reportedly hit a patch of ice and ran off the road. It rolled over 5 times before crashing into a ditch.
His family has advised that they met with one of the doctors early this morning to view yesterday’s brain scan. The scan revealed some brain damage (dead brain cells) in the frontal lobe. This area of the brain is responsible for emotion and personality. There is also smaller areas of damage in different locations of the brain, none of which is certain to cause lasting problems but the doctors warn that there is that chance. They explained it by referring to someone who has had a stroke. The damage in the frontal lobe is the same as someone who has had a stroke and some victims make a full recovery and others do not. Yesterday’s CT scan also revealed 3 separate fractures in Clay’s left hand so they relocated a blood pressure and glucose monitor line to his foot and placed a cast on his hand. There is still heavy swelling in Clay’s arms, hands and feet and this is being treated with diuretics. Doctors seem to think that Clay will be "rounding the corner" so to speak during the next couple of days and hopefully swelling in the brain will be complete and no longer a threat. We continue to pray and hope for his successful recovery.
CONGRATS TO VETERAN FIRE CHIEF BRUCE VARNER:
One of our long time friends and one of the original Secret List members, Chief Bruce Varner, most recently Chief of Department in Santa Rosa FD, California, is retiring after 43 years on the job.
The Chiefs retirement impacts every firefighter in the USA and Canada because well before "firefighter safety and health" became a common (or nearly common) denominator, Bruce was at the forefront. He literally was often the "lone voice" in the room pushing the issues most of you understand today. From intelligent aggressive firefighting operations to command, control and accountability, to firefighter survival, to tactical fire scene leadership and building construction as well as SCBA and related technological development and standard establishment, Bruce has been there from DAY ONE. Many of you with gray hair or no hair probably know Bruce from his countless hours of teaching around the country and his tireless work with NFPA committees.
Bruce’s dedication to pushing our service forward (sometimes we kicked and screamed) started while he was with the Phoenix Fire Department (retiring as a Assistant Chief) and continued as he served as the Fire Chief for the Carrollton Fire Department (Texas) and finally with Santa Rosa (Calif). Bruce has also been one of the folks involved with IAFF safety and health and well being an inaugural member of the IAFC safety and health committee, which 
;set the groundwork for today’s aggressive, 1000+ member IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section.
;set the groundwork for today’s aggressive, 1000+ member IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section.
While we know that Bruce will continue to work on various fire service committees and related ventures, we do want to reach out and send him a heartfelt congrats on his retirement and THANKS for all the good he has done…so far. Those wishing to send Chief Varner an e-mail may reach him at: [email protected]
Take Care-BE CAREFUL.
BillyG
The Secret List 1-3-11 / 2127 Hours
