Support for three Houston Firefighters

[johnny46]

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=146671745367863

The above link is to a facebook page showing support for three firefighters recently suspended. The quote is our local's response to the suspension. If you're on Facebook, please join the group and show support.

Late Wednesday, Mayor Annise Parker told KTRK-ABC 13 that she supported Acting Fire Chief Rick Flanagan's firing of three HFD Station 55 firefighters late Tuesday despite admitting that at least two of the firefighters are innocent.

Mayor Parker, "If the firefighter who did this would stand up and acknowledge his action, we wouldn't be punishing two innocent firefighters, but we had to take a stand." She is now on record endorsing the destruction of careers and reputations of innocent Houston firefighters.

Sound familiar? It should. The city also "had to take a stand" in the year-long HFD Station 54 graffiti investigation. The continued refusal to release the findings of the city's administrative investigation of the Station 54 forces us to ask: why will Mayor Parker and Chief Flanagan not exonerate the dozens of firefighters cleared in the investigation? What are they hiding?

The HPFFA's position on workplace safety and harassment is clear. When incidents arise that justify discipline, we want them properly investigated and adjudicated. But we will not stand by silently as Mayor Parker and Chief Flanagan allow all Houston firefighters to be disparaged with often unfounded allegations followed by inept city investigations. We hope the new fire chief will have the character and judgment to fight for the thousands of honorable men and women of HFD.

Looking ahead, the HPFFA is looking for ways to help Station 55 firefighters Spencer Allred, Randal Ricks and Ryan Smith while their firings are appealed. First and foremost, please let us know if you are aware of possible job opportunities for them for the next three to six months. If you can help these firefighters in any way, please contact the Local today.

This is a link to the local paper's version:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...c-f459d6a3ab8a



Thanks.

[gsmj27]

This report by the local ABC affiliate has the mayor admitting on air that at least two innocent firefighters were fired, all in the effort to flush out the unknown guilty party:

"If the firefighter who did this would stand up and acknowledge his action, we wouldn't be punishing two innocent firefighters, but we had to take a stand," Parker said.

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?se...cal&id=7657057

If you have a just dollar to spare, please donate to benefit fund of these three wrongly accused firemen. The goal is to keep their bills paid until they can prove their innocence. They are all good men who are just trying to provide for their families. More details can be found on the Facebook group page Johnny listed above. Thank you!

SUPPORT THE SUNNYSIDE 3!!!

[MemphisE34a]

Joined.

Check into Little Rock and Shelby County, TN. They were in a hiring process last week. I will see if I can find out if their still open.

[Capt387]

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=146671745367863

The above link is to a facebook page showing support for three firefighters recently suspended. The quote is our local's response to the suspension. If you're on Facebook, please join the group and show support.

Thanks.

Joined in KY

[gsmj27]

Joined in KY

Thank you to both, and anyone else who has joined and/or donated!

[GTRider245]

Joined. Complete BS what they are going through.

[Capt387]

Thank you to both, and anyone else who has joined and/or donated!

Do you guys have a particular state law that protects police officers from persecution ? If so it might actually help firefighters also. Here in KY there is such a measure. A few years ago I had an accident and had charges filed on me by the chief. Granted the charges did not call for my dismissal but they were incorrect as my accident did not occur because I was in charge as the paper claimed. I refused to sign the charges and that led to a council hearing according to this charter law in the KRS. what I am trying to get at is under this law I cant be immediately dismised I have the right to appeal the decision and findings in a hearing in front of our city council. Here is the big catch, the city has 3 days to conviene the city council AFTER notifying me of the charges. It keeps them from unjustly using city resources in building a case against you and you not being able to afford such ability. I didn't know much about the law at the time but since then I became better versed. I stood up for myself in an injustice, I beat the particular charge filed and went from a written charge filed to a verbal (greatly reduced). It would be worth researching

[snowball]

Done. I'll shove this up the ladder to our Union mucky mucks.

[johnny46]

Danke. 7890

[Tony4310]

I'm not Union, but I joined in support!

[Chief_Roy]

I support them just by default of being a former IAFF member and local president. I'd sure like to know some more details because the City (in the articles I've read) certainly has a different story. They say their investigation showed that the men were "culpable." I assume this means the city believes they knew about this and didn't report it, or perhaps they believe they know who did it but won't divulge names. Most of the stuff that's been released has been very thin on details.

[gsmj27]

Do you guys have a particular state law that protects police officers from persecution ? If so it might actually help firefighters also. Here in KY there is such a measure. A few years ago I had an accident and had charges filed on me by the chief. Granted the charges did not call for my dismissal but they were incorrect as my accident did not occur because I was in charge as the paper claimed. I refused to sign the charges and that led to a council hearing according to this charter law in the KRS. what I am trying to get at is under this law I cant be immediately dismised I have the right to appeal the decision and findings in a hearing in front of our city council. Here is the big catch, the city has 3 days to conviene the city council AFTER notifying me of the charges. It keeps them from unjustly using city resources in building a case against you and you not being able to afford such ability. I didn't know much about the law at the time but since then I became better versed. I stood up for myself in an injustice, I beat the particular charge filed and went from a written charge filed to a verbal (greatly reduced). It would be worth researching

Yes. We have the Texas civil service commision which states an investigator must notify you with a minimum of a certain number of days that you are being investigated (I can't remember that number) and then 48 hours before they can interview you.

They have not been terminated but indefinitely suspended pending the outcome of the civil service comission. However there are appeals to be had depending on that out come. It typically takes 6 to 9 months to resolve the case. That's why we started the support group because these guys get their last check next Friday then they are in the wind. One has already been "laid off" his part-time job because of this. It's hard enough to find a decent amount of part-time/full-time work in this economy, then add the reputation branded you by the department and media of being a racist and suddenly no one even wants to call you back.

That being said, we're asking all firemen and friends/family of firemen to donate to these three if they have any to spare. The Facebook group can be found here, with all the details: Sunnyside Firefighters Support Group.

Support the Sunnyside 3!

Thank You.

[gsmj27]

I support them just by default of being a former IAFF member and local president. I'd sure like to know some more details because the City (in the articles I've read) certainly has a different story. They say their investigation showed that the men were "culpable." I assume this means the city believes they knew about this and didn't report it, or perhaps they believe they know who did it but won't divulge names. Most of the stuff that's been released has been very thin on details.

It boils down to the following facts:

1. They transported a patient to a hospital after midnight
2. While at the hospital they left their EMS laptop (for patient records) unattended at the report printing station. This was done after printing the record, but before locking the record and sending it to HQ.
4. At some point while dropping off the printed version, someone went to the narrative screen and wrote the phrase "N***a Please", deleting out the exsisting narrative, then changing back to the home screen.
5. The medic came back and grabbed the laptop, locked and sent the record, and they went on with their shift.

This wasn't found or reported for months. Our laptops have no login password protection. Anyone off the street can enter information and it would be up to us to go through every possible screen to make sure each time that this doesn't happen. The other solution is to carry the laptop with you at all times, but in an environment where you make 20 calls a day, have to set it down to perform patient care, or when you need to leave it on the dock in the ambulance to charge, you lose your POC security.

As I stated previously in this thread, the mayor has admitted that innocent firefighters were likely fired, but they had to "take a stand".

Thanks everyone for their support.

[FireMedic049]

Joined from PA.

[gsmj27]

Thank you! These guys need all the support they can get.