The chief of Definitely one of Tangipahoa Parish’s largest hearth dehalfments has resigned as officers question his dehalfment’s dealing with Of A hearth truck’s hit-and-run crash with a civilian car after Hurricane Ida.
Eighth Ward Volunteer Fire Dehalfment Chief Ira Brown is accused of taking shortcuts on the consider course of the dehalfment usually undertakes after a crash. He informed a parish oversight board final week that he was sorry For a method he dealt with the incident.
“I apologize To every Definitely one of you, women and gents,” he informed the board of the parish’s Rural Fire District #2, which is made up of members of the parish council. “It was dangerous judgement on my half — very dangerous judgement. Your recommfinishations are truthful, and as quickly as extra, I’m sorry.”
Brown said he would immediately step down from the submit he had held for 26 years.
In a specifically-referred to as meeting, the board useful that Brown resign and be barred from collaborating in Eighth Ward providers in any performance Adjust toing a crash on Sept. 10.
A Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s deputy responded to a name that afternoon from a driver saying a small truck with A hearth dehalfment decal had hit her automotive on CC road in Ponchatoula and pushed amethod, said sheriff’s chief Jimmy Travis. Travis said Nobody was injured Inside the collision.
The driving strain adopted the truck to the eighth ward station in Ponchatoula, Travis said, wright here she spoke with Brown and The two agreed to resolve The drawback amongst themselves.
Later, Brown allegedly ran afoul Of hearth district course of for resolving accidents between a civilian and A hearth dehalfment car — a course of That almethods includes detailed reviews, driver toxicology checks and, in some circumstances, investigation by outdoors regulation enstrainment businesses, Based mostly on Worldwide Affiliation of Fire Fighters ideas.
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Fire district board chair Louis “Nick” Joseph referred Questions on Brown’s state of aftruthfuls to board lawyer Brad Cascio, who Did not immediately return a message asking which guidelines Brown allegedly violated.
The board Continues to be investigating the incident.
A day Earlier to his apology earlier than The hearth board, Brown wrote in A press launch on the dehalfment’s internet website that he would retire To Think about household after a collection of “life threatening sicknesses” befell A pair of of his quick relations.
“I can’t in good conscience proceed to Pertype the Chief understanding that I can’t dedicate the Time And power this place requires,” he said, “nor would I Be In a place to give my Relations the assist and automotivee they want.”
Brown had served As a Outcome of the eighth ward’s chief since 1994.
He “is A very properly revered man in our group,” said Randy Bush, a Ponchatoula-space member of the Tangipahoa Parish school board. “I’m constructive he wants for a do-over.”
The Eighth Ward Volunteer Fire Dehalfment serves the closely-populated southeastern An factor of Tangipahoa Parish from two stations, one in Bedico — a small group southeast of Hammond — and The completely different in Ponchatoula. It has virtually 30 members, Based mostly on the dehalfment’s internet website.
James Finn writes for The Advocate as a Report For America corps member. E-mail him at [email protected] or Adjust to him on Twitter @RJamesFinn.
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Source: https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/article_efb5d47e-465f-11ec-a9b6-9b5f22d2fbd4.html
