Aidey
Community Leader Emeritus
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So I have a general question for you all courtesy of one of my friends who volunteers at a combined Fire/EMS department. First a little background info, the department has about 60 or 70 members, there are 6 24 hour people (2 per shift) and everyone else is volunteer except for 2 chief officers and a couple of admins.
Several months ago one of her friends, a FF/MICP, starting having a lot of issues, and eventually showed up to a training class in a full blown manic episode. They were able to convince him to go to the hospital and he was admitted and diagnosed with Bi-polar disorder.
He took 2 months off from the department, got on meds, and from all accounts is stable and doing pretty well. Last week the chief dismissed him from the department on the grounds that his bi-polar disorder made him a risk to the safety of everyone else both co-workers and patients. He offered to get a letter from his psych saying he was ok to stay there, and to sign a contract saying he would stay on his meds and if he didn't they could dismiss him but the Cheif was having none of it and said there was no room for discussion. Since the state this happened in is an "at will" work state and he was a volunteer he has no legal recourse against the Chief.
Now, my question is, do you guys think this was fair? Should someone be blocked out of fire/EMS strictly because they have a mental illness?
Several months ago one of her friends, a FF/MICP, starting having a lot of issues, and eventually showed up to a training class in a full blown manic episode. They were able to convince him to go to the hospital and he was admitted and diagnosed with Bi-polar disorder.
He took 2 months off from the department, got on meds, and from all accounts is stable and doing pretty well. Last week the chief dismissed him from the department on the grounds that his bi-polar disorder made him a risk to the safety of everyone else both co-workers and patients. He offered to get a letter from his psych saying he was ok to stay there, and to sign a contract saying he would stay on his meds and if he didn't they could dismiss him but the Cheif was having none of it and said there was no room for discussion. Since the state this happened in is an "at will" work state and he was a volunteer he has no legal recourse against the Chief.
Now, my question is, do you guys think this was fair? Should someone be blocked out of fire/EMS strictly because they have a mental illness?