Embezzlement is described as – theft or misappropriation of funds placed in one’s trust or belonging to one’s employer. A recent uptick in the theft of funds, equipment or property from the fire department is creating an embarrassment to the fire service as a whole. Recent cases in New Hampshire…
Training Opportunities for Fire & EMS Organizations
Today’s fire service is a complicated mix of people, money, rules and regulations with many laws guiding the management and direction of our service. Unfortunately all too often fire departments and their personnel find themselves facing lawsuits due to violations of these laws, rules and regulations. This series of legal…
Use of Patient Restraints – Discussion and Sample Policy
This document does not constitute legal advice. It is meant to serve as a discussion by those who chose to read and apply the principles contained in this document. Organizations utilizing the material in this document, shall consult with their Medical Program Director and legal counsel prior to implementation. This…
Arsonists in the Firehouse
By John K. Murphy, Esq. and Beth L. Murphy, MA We are all appalled by the recent spate of fires being set by firefighters, most notably reported in the news, volunteer firefighters. In recent news events, we read with increasing frequency that our own firefighters are starting fires, which in…
Tomorrow is the same as yesterday
History repeats itself in the fire service on a daily basis. I not referring to the frequency of jobs involving fire, EMS and rescues, but about the human interaction that is continues to disrupt the daily lives of our firefighters who are different. The fire service continues to discriminate against…
FIRE CHIEF LIABILITIES – What are they and some prevention tips
NEWS FLASH – Attendance at an educational seminar resulted in a Fire Chief resigning from his position due to his fear that he would be held personally liable for actions taken on behalf of the fire department. Shocking! Shocking? It would appear that this chief had an irrational fear of…
Fifty Ways to Leave your Lawyer
Now that I have your attention, this article will outline some of the issues that keep Fire Chiefs and fire departments extremely close to their attorneys in the attempt to mitigate those prickly legal issues. Many of these examples have been culled from the Fire Service Court Radio shows outlining the numerous legal…