The LaCore case - and other facts from The Spook Who Sits By the Door*

Firefighter Sergeant Michael LaCore, who was severely injured while fighting a fire and was in danger of being terminated for not recovering in a year until his mother got the ear of the Mayor, is now in danger of being denied the right to return to duty. Sgt Michael LaCore, with 3 other firefighters, was seriously burned in a fire on 4th Street, NE, in October of 2007. It is alleged that DCFD's Risk Management Deputy, whose responsiblity is to investigate accidents and injuries of firefighters, was not allowed to investigate this incident.

The following other allegations have surfaced:

On or about February 15th, 2008, 5 firefighter recruits were burned during a training session. Now, Deputy Fire Chief Alan Jeffries, who was in charge of that training, is preparing to be promoted to 3rd in command. Last year, a black applicant died during a training.

Additional allegations include concerns that a white Captain hasn't taken the physical in 6 years, receiving only a light suspension for this infraction (because they didn't want to demote Chief Anderson). Plus, he was assigned to the fire boat, but CAN NOT EVEN SWIM!!!

In the Special Operations Division, the numbers of Blacks assigned to this unit are conspicuously absent - that is hazmat (hazardous materials), fire boat and rescue squad. Firefighter Damien Green stole drugs to make methamphetamine June 29th, 2006 (assigned to the Giant in Silver Spring) and the Fire Department took absolutely NO ACTION! He is now assigned to Engine 24 at Georgia and Gallatin, NW.

Probationary Firefighter Mark Dunlap, assigned to Capitol Hill Station, Engine 3, was arrested for DUI and locked up, which is grounds for dismissal. Not only did the chief's report on the incident disappear, but Dunlap has never been disciplined.

And, we promised you other facts that our Mayor - if he were concerned about ending even the appearance of condoning racism in his Fire Department - would not be able to keep ignoring:

69 white members of the Dept haven't attended Annual Physicals for as long as nine (9) years. Battalion Chief Larry Anderson hasn't taken a physical in eight (8) years. Yet, other firefighters have been demoted or fired for failing to follow clinic procedures - while Chief Anderson got promoted. The 69 members are Chiefs, Captains, and Lieutenants.

95% of all new recruits are white, and only 2% are from DC. Current management has destroyed the cadet program that was a pathway for DC youth into the Fire Department.

Chief Rubin has ordered all Deputy and Battalion Fire Chiefs to take a basic EMT course, which they are not required to have, meaning 6 weeks off enjoying a class at taxpayers' expense, wasting federal funds in our names. The feds need to take a look at this waste. And so do we, District taxpayers, since the Fire Department is already over budget! Inqiring minds want to know: Who is accountable for these losses and mismanagement? Or, is this the real reason our property taxes are being raised, to cover the graft in the Fire Department? Hmmmmmm

Also, the Spook must correct an oops, that alleged firefighter implicated in the prostitution case on Minnesota was not transferred to Georgetown, as reported in our flyer, but to Chinatown.

More to come as E.R.A.S.E. continues to pursue good government ...

* The Spook Who Sat By the Door is taken from the title of a movie and book by Sam Greenlee, about whistleblowing.

Oh yeah, to add insult to injury...
We have a Caucasian who moved to one of the last corner houses in our neighborhood on the corner of 49th Street and Central Avenue, NE, and immediately got involved in the political life of the community (he's treasurer of a local Civic Association). Many of us wondered why, especially since he has been posturing, faking like he was a cop when he is just a "ride-along." We found out on Saturday the 15th, when he tried to walk his three dogs through E.R.A.S.E.'s rally against racism. The Spook and neighbors want to know, why would anyone want to disrupt, deter, detain such a rally - unless he has a hidden agenda? The Spook's neighbors were holding a rally against racism in the Fire Department in our neighborhood, and he wanted to interrupt the demo, draw attention to himself, and interfere with the flow of the rally, calling the police over to enforce his right to walk through the demonstrators stage, rather than any of the other 5 or more different routes he had available to him and his 3 dogs.