Legal Considerations For Fire and Emergency Services

by Varone, J. Curtis

• ISBN13: 9781401865719
• ISBN10: 1401865712
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-11-01
• Publisher: Delmar Cengage Learning

Summary

Written by a lawyer who is also an experienced firefighter, this book examines the most challenging legal issues confronting firefighters and emergency service personnel today. Readers will explore such major legal concerns as fire service liability issues, the jurisdiction of OSHA over fire departments, the applicability of the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, search and seizure, employment discrimination, residency requirements, sexual harassment, and more. Many of the most significant fires of the past century are also discussed, along with the cases and legal battles that ensued, so readers can make important connections between past events and the legal concepts facing emergency responders today.

Author Biography

J. Curtis Varone is currently a Deputy Assistant Chief and shift commander with the Providence Fire Department in Providence, Rhode Island. He is also an Adjunct Faculty member of the National Fire Academy, Executive Fire Officer Program and of Providence College's Fire Science program.

Table of Contents

Preface	x
Introduction	xvi
Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE)	xix
Firefighter Safety Section	xxi
Types and Sources of Laws	1	(21)
Introduction	2	(1)
What is ``The Law''?	2	(1)
Where Do Laws Come From?	3	(12)
Standards and Codes	15	(2)
Civil Versus Criminal	17	(1)
Jurisdiction	18	(3)
Summary	21	(1)
Review Questions	21	(1)
Discussion Questions	21	(1)
Courts and Court Systems	22	(30)
Introduction	23	(1)
Courts in General	23	(1)
Jurisdiction	24	(1)
Trial Courts and Appellate Courts	25	(1)
Evidence	25	(2)
Anatomy of a Civil Lawsuit	27	(10)
Federal Court System	37	(2)
State Courts	39	(1)
Stare Decisis and Precedence	39	(2)
How ``Decisis'' is ``Decisis''?	41	(2)
Lawsuits and the Media	43	(1)
Legal Research	44	(6)
Legal Arguments	50	(1)
Summary	50	(1)
Review Questions	51	(1)
Discussion Questions	51	(1)
Types of Fire Departments	52	(32)
Introduction	53	(1)
What is a Fire Department?	53	(2)
The Role of a Fire Department	55	(1)
Public Sector Versus Private Sector	56	(1)
Types of Entities	57	(6)
Public Sector Fire Organizations	63	(7)
Private Sector Fire Organizations	70	(10)
Conclusions on Fire Department Authority	80	(1)
Volunteer Fire Company Authority	80	(2)
Summary	82	(1)
Review Questions	82	(1)
Discussion Questions	83	(1)
Administrative Agencies	84	(20)
Introduction	85	(1)
Administrative Agencies	85	(2)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration	87	(1)
Getting the Job Done	88	(1)
Osha Inspections	88	(1)
Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission	89	(1)
Oshrc and Osha	90	(1)
Osha Violations and Sanctions	90	(1)
Administrative Agencies and Separation of Powers	91	(1)
Exhaustion of Remedies	92	(1)
Jursidiction and the Term ``Osha State''	93	(2)
State and Local Agencies	95	(1)
Administrative Law Making	96	(2)
Osha and the NFPA Standards	98	(1)
Application of Osha to Volunteers and Part-Time Personnel	99	(3)
Summary	102	(1)
Review Questions	102	(1)
Discussion Questions	103	(1)
Criminal Law	104	(38)
Introduction	105	(1)
Statutory and Common-Law Crimes	105	(1)
Federal Versus State Jurisdiction	106	(1)
Crimes Must Be Specifically Declared to Be Criminal	106	(1)
Felonies and Misdemeanors	106	(1)
Elements	107	(11)
Criminal Offenses	118	(23)
Summary	141	(1)
Review Questions	141	(1)
Discussion Questions	141	(1)
Criminal Procedure	142	(42)
Introduction	143	(1)
What is an Arrest?	143	(1)
Authority to Make an Arrest	143	(2)
Asserting the Authority	145	(1)
False Arrest	146	(1)
Firefighters and Arrest Powers	146	(1)
Arrest Warrants	146	(1)
Criminal Procedure	146	(3)
Search and Seizure	149	(20)
Chain of Custody	169	(2)
Custodial Interrogations and Miranda Warnings	171	(4)
Accomplice Liability: Parties to a Crime	175	(1)
Conspiracy	175	(1)
Attempts	176	(1)
Criminal Defenses	177	(5)
Summary	182	(1)
Review Questions	183	(1)
Discussion Questions	183	(1)
Civil Liability Issues	184	(34)
Introduction	185	(1)
Intentional Torts	186	(1)
Battery	186	(10)
Assault	196	(1)
False Imprisonment	197	(3)
Intentional Infliction of Severe Emotional Distress	200	(7)
Trespass to Land	207	(1)
Trespass to Chattels	208	(1)
Conversion	208	(1)
Misrepresentation	208	(1)
Bad Faith	209	(3)
Defamation	212	(3)
Invasion of Privacy	215	(1)
Summary	216	(1)
Review Questions	216	(1)
Discussion Questions	217	(1)
Negligence	218	(31)
Introduction	219	(1)
Elements of Negligence	219	(7)
Fire Service Negligence Cases	226	(2)
Emergency Medical Care and Negligence	228	(2)
Beyond Negligence	230	(2)
Defenses to Negligence	232	(9)
Strict Liability	241	(3)
Respondeat Superior	244	(2)
Joint Liability	246	(2)
Summary	248	(1)
Review Questions	248	(1)
Discussion Questions	248	(1)
Immunity from Liability	249	(40)
Introduction	250	(1)
Tort Claims Acts	250	(6)
Discretionary Versus Functionary Acts	256	(1)
What is Discretion?	257	(5)
The Other Distinction: Governmental Versus Proprietary	262	(3)
Statutory Immunity	265	(1)
Volunteer Protection Act	266	(1)
Private Nonprofit Volunteer Fire Companies	266	(6)
Limitations on Immunity	272	(12)
Concluding Thoughts on Civil Liability, Sovereign Immunity, and Torts Claims Acts	284	(3)
Summary	287	(1)
Review Questions	287	(1)
Discussion Questions	288	(1)
Contract Law and Employment Issues	289	(40)
Introduction	290	(2)
Offer and Acceptance	292	(1)
Contract Formality	292	(1)
Breach and Damages	293	(1)
Authority to Contract	294	(2)
Void or Voidable Agreements	296	(4)
Promissory Estoppel	300	(2)
Fire Service Contracts	302	(1)
Mutual Aid Agreements	302	(3)
Insurance Policies	305	(4)
Purchasing	309	(1)
Employment Agreements	309	(11)
Workers' Compensation	320	(7)
Summary	327	(1)
Review Questions	328	(1)
Discussion Questions	328	(1)
Labor Law and Collective Bargaining	329	(43)
Introduction	330	(1)
Collective Bargaining	330	(1)
Public Sector Labor Relations	331	(1)
Private Sector Versus Public Sector	332	(4)
Labor Relations Acts	336	(2)
Good-Faith Bargaining	338	(3)
Impasse Disputes	341	(15)
Scope of Bargaining	356	(6)
Impact Bargaining	362	(1)
Unilateral Changes to Mandatory Subjects and Past Practices	362	(1)
Union Security Provisions	363	(2)
Duty of Fair Representation	365	(1)
Strikes, Slowdowns, Picketing, and Concerted Job Actions	365	(2)
Weingarten Rights	367	(2)
Garrity Rights	369	(1)
Summary	370	(1)
Review Questions	371	(1)
Discussion Questions	371	(1)
Employee Rights and Discrimination	372	(48)
Introduction	373	(1)
Constitutional Rights	373	(1)
Civil Rights Laws	373	(3)
What is Discrimination?	376	(1)
Proof of Discrimination	376	(17)
Standard of Review for Constitutional Claims of Discrimination	393	(3)
Procedural Issues in Discrimination	396	(1)
Affirmative Action---Equal Opportunity	397	(1)
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)	398	(11)
State Law Disability Discrimination	409	(1)
Age Discrimination	409	(9)
Summary	418	(1)
Review Questions	418	(1)
Discussion Questions	419	(1)
Sexual Harassment and Other Forms of Employment Discrimination	420	(35)
Introduction	421	(1)
Sexual Harrassment	421	(16)
Pregnancy Discrimination	437	(1)
Religious Accommodation	438	(7)
Clothing, Uniforms, and Grooming Issues	445	(8)
Summary	453	(1)
Review Questions	453	(1)
Discussion Questions	454	(1)
Fair Labor, Family Medical Leave, Residency, and Drug Testing	455	(38)
Introduction	456	(1)
Fair Labor Standards Act	456	(23)
Family Medical Leave	479	(2)
Residency Requirements	481	(3)
Drug Testing	484	(7)
Summary	491	(1)
Review Questions	491	(1)
Discussion Questions	492	(1)
Public Accountability Laws	493	(26)
Introduction	494	(1)
Conflicts of Interest and Ethical Codes	495	(5)
Open Government Laws	500	(15)
Whistleblower Acts and Provisions	515	(2)
Summary	517	(1)
Review Questions	517	(1)
Discussion Questions	517	(2)
Appendix A Constitution of the United States of America	519	(14)
Appendix B	533	(86)
Glossary	619	(14)
Index of Cases	633	(3)
Index	636