John K. Murphy's Blog – December 2014 Archive (4)

This year has certainly been interesting related to the legal issues facing the fire service. We continue to see the fire departments in the news for many high profile fires, rescues, service calls and the other good things we do on a daily basis.

We also continue to see the fire departments mired in legal controversies that reduce the effectiveness of organizational cohesiveness and at times polarize our personnel and departments.

We can only read the legal effects of the…

Merry Christmas to my firefighter brothers and sisters. Stay safe out there.

Whereas, on or about the night prior to Christmas, there did occur at a certain improved piece of real property in a wintery municipality (hereinafter "the Fire House") a general lack of stirring by all firefighters and creatures therein, including, but not limited to a mouse.

A variety of foot apparel, e.g. stocking, socks, bunker boots, etc., had been affixed…

Is your fire department or municipality’s server and computer system connected to the Internet?  If so, your computer system is probably being attacked by a hacker as you read this article.

Those hackers are seeking information on your department’s EMS responses, looking at patient records, payroll records, emails, and other proprietary and protected information, if released, may make your organization vulnerable to litigation from your patients or your employees. As…