Does it matter that the firefighters were off duty when they did the work?
Even though the firefighters were off duty firefighters are still expected to exhibit good ethical
conduct in all aspects of their lives even when they are off duty. So yes, it does matter that the
firefighters were off duty because they still have an ethical obligation and oath to stand by.
There was no mention in the news story on whether the firefighters took any wood. If they
did, how should their case be treated?
The firefighter's case should be treated the same as the chiefs, and by taking accountability even
though they didn’t know they were doing something wrong and accept the sanitation just like the
chief and let it be a learning lesson, even though they were off duty they will have to uphold the
standards of being a public servant.
How should the chief handle this within the fire department?
Even though it was not done intentionally or trying to break laws. The Chief needs to make sure
it’s communicated and written in policy the ethical standards of how the fire department should
carry themselves even when they are off duty and make sure they are thinking before making
decisions that can turn out to be ethically wrong and the steps that need to be taken to make sure
the proper person is notified to get clarity on what's allowed.
What role, if any, should the mayor or city manager play in addressing ethics laws?
The role the mayor or city manager should take is to make sure there is clear communication and
written policies that address the ethics laws that are in place and make sure each person
employed in the public sector by a government department or agency for the public sector is
aware of the laws and regulations, and consequences when they are broken.
What do you think the best outcome could be in this situation?
For everyone to have a clear understanding of what is ethically okay and not and to communicate
and just like the chief said it was a miscommunication, so just having the understanding of
what’s expected is a good outcome.
