DC Fire Dept. admits failing to follow new law created after public uproar

The Washington Post reports that the fire department never wrote regulations required to implement the law, therefore, they could not enforce it. That law was supposed to take effect last year.

It was created after a tragic case in March, involving a toddler who choked on a grape and died six days later. A fire lieutenant who was just two blocks away from the call, failed to alert emergency dispatchers of his location. Because of a computer glitch – firefighters and paramedics from more than a mile away were sent to the home instead. The first paramedics reportedly arrived nearly 11 minutes after the first 911 call was made.

The lieutenant had been charged with ‘neglect of duty’ and an internal hearing was pending on the matter. However, because he retired, he will not face any discipline and will be allowed to retain his annual pension of about $60,000. Had he been found guilty, the Post reports, he could have been fired, suspended or demoted, “resulting in a cut to his more than $90,000 salary.”

The 18-month-old boy’s father had this reaction to the news: “I’m just completely appalled, frustrated and very upset about the whole investigation….I am most upset that this person wants to basically leave without any responsibility for what happened…..it appears he can just leave without any repercussions.”

D.C. Council members passed the law 10 months ago following public outrage over another case involving 77-year-old Medric Cecil Mills Jr., who collapsed across the street from a District fire station in 2014 and died of a heart attack. District officials determined that firefighters ignored the man and received “inadequate punishment.” One fire lieutenant, in that case, retired hours before a disciplinary board could decide her fate, allowing her to keep her $70,000-a-year pension.

The Mills family has sued the District alleging that reforms promised after his death were never implemented.

Fire officials apparently dropped the ball after the bill became law in March. They were required to publish the new regulations within 30 days in the D.C. Register and “allow for a period of public comment.” That never happened. The new law was to go into effect by May 11.

Officials announced Tuesday that the regulations will be published “soon” and the law implemented after the comment period, in “one to two months.”

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