Posted on 08/22/2009 5:46:53 AM PDT by Loyalist
WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg firefighter is accused of having a sexual tryst in a shed behind the firehall while on duty, leaving the station unable to respond to an emergency call.
The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service has launched an internal investigation into the incident, which allegedly occurred last month.
Ken Sim, deputy chief of operations, said Thursday the allegations of wrongdoing involving the firefighter and a female visitor to the station appear to have "merit" and are being treated seriously by the department.
"If someone has put themselves off-site or in an compromising situation, there could be consequences," said Sim. "There are all kinds of expectation around this kind of thing, and the crews have to be at the ready to respond at all times."
The alleged incident occurred on July 17 but wasn’t immediately reported to officials.
The firefighter was accused by at least one colleague of not being in the fire station at the time a call for service came in. He was allegedly found in an equipment shed behind the building with a woman. The crew allegedly had to put themselves out of service and get another to respond.
But Sim said an initial review of all calls for service from the night in question show that nothing was missed by the crew in question. But he says the investigation into that aspect of the allegation remains ongoing.
Sim said a platoon chief was recently tasked with leading the probe and interviewing the firefighter and his seven colleagues who were on-duty that night. There are also two paramedics who would have been working out of the station at the time.
Alex Forrest, president of the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg, was on holidays Thursday and couldn’t be reached for comment.
Sim said discipline could include forced time off, a letter on his permanent record and "remedial education."
The Osborne Street firehall is no stranger to controversy. It made headlines in 2004 after firefighters were accused of improper behaviour with several young female visitors. Three firefighters were demoted, but two later regained their positions with back pay after the case went to a provincial labour hearing.
Last fall, two Winnipeg paramedics were arrested and charged with trying to solicit sex from two young women while on duty in the West End. Both were suspended from work without pay.
Charges have since been stayed against one employee, while the other remains before the courts.
Wait a minute! Turn around is NOT fair Play.
Oh, yes it IS! :)
OK for me to do it but you can’t. hehehe
Sounds like he was working, just putting out a different kind of fire?
“I have got a hosepipe,
“I have got a hosepipe,
“I have got a hosepipe,
“What shall I do with it?”
LOL, thanks Springman!
A ping to the ladies.
;-D
You shouldn’t have posted to LJ, who knows what she has in her ‘puter to post on this thread!!!
I KNEW you’d show up eventually, LOL!
lol Diana, high five here !!! ( I voted not guilty as well ) ;)
Not guilty. ;-)
He’s not showing quite enough skin for me to make a judgement. ;)
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