Village Should Appeal
Reading the newspaper account of this story I wondered who was responsible for maintaining the oxygen tank. I don't know Kevin Reilly, however, if he arrived to a fire and had low oxygen he was not prepared to do his job. As it turns out he is responsible for maintaining his equipment. Not defending anyone, Bombace or otherwise, but if reilly got to house fire unprepared and complained about the air level in his tank, why bother showing up to work or even bother responding to the fire. As an outsider reading the report, it seemed to me the supervisor took the radio and flashlight possibly to ensure the safety of the firefighter who was prepared to do the job.
As far as the valley cleanup, I don't read anything into that other than other firefighters cleaned up without complaint. Sounds to me like this fella really doesn't want to work.
The village should appeal. Maybe there is good reason Rielly didn't get a promotion. From what I read the guy was unprepared putting himself in danger along with residents. I don't think I would want him responding if I had an emergency.
No opionion about Bombace since that name is never mentioned in the article.
Village should appeal
22 comments:
tort reform
You will find Bombase's name under who testified in the Rielly case.
Each fireman doesn't have his own "personal" oxygen tank. The tanks are on the truck and are grabbed at random. That's point #1.
Point #2, it doesn't say that the fireman "arrived" with a low tank. The comment was that when the superior arrived the fireman's tank was low. We don't knwo how long the tank had been in use at that scene, prior to the officer arriving.
To state that the fireman was unprepared because he showed up without the proper equipment just indicates a clear lack of knowledge and facts!
To the person who posted that the Village Should Appeal: Seriously? Don't you think that everything you brought up in your diatribe came out in the trial? That no stone was left unturned? And yet, Kevin Reilly was awarded 3.5M by a jury of our peers in a 6-0 decision.
9:57 you are soooo right. juries never get it wrong. why does our legal system even have an appeals process? why do we even have a legal system? a group of people could just get together and come to the proper conclusion.
Yeah, like OJ Simpson & Casey Anthony.
9:57 - Deciding whether to appeal or not is a matter of upside/downside estimation. Is it more likely that the award will be increased or decreased by an appeals judge. I am not a lawyer and don't know all of the facts of the case, but, given that he was not not killed, maimed or badly burned, is still employed and getting a large paycheck, and still has his benefits and pension, that it seems like there is a good chance that a judge would lower, rather than increase, the dollar amount.
i think the post states based on the newspaper account which obviously could differ from what the jury heard. but if reilly felt in danger with low oxygen, why did he go into the house? could he refuse?
why go into the building if he felt he was in danger and why clean up a mess at VH if he felt he was in danger. Could have called hazmat himself? I am not disagreeing about being passed over for promotion because he was a whistle blower. but on the other hand he did not seem to take command of his own safety. not a fireman so i don't know the system works. but i would be more impressed had he refused to go into the building or refused to clean up the mess at VH.
regardless the amount awarded seems excessive.
Yes the Village should appeal! Those poor lawyers don't make enough money, lets all contribute more to their billable hours.
sounds like the fire dept is up in arm's way.what a shame.
It must have something pretty darn egregious for him to be awarded such a large sum. Or perhaps the jury just hates Ridgewood and wants to stick it to us. The jury in the Graydon Pool drowning awarded 10 million --- maybe they all hate Ridgewood, too. Poor Ridgewood! We just can't get away with things anymore.
10:56 AM CRY ME A RIVER!! BOO HOO!!
It is a fact that absolute power absolutely corrupts. Now we're paying the price.
Just curious, is Sheila Brogan, aka, Mrs. Reilly, related to any or all of the Reilly's that work for the BOE?
Just curious, is Sheila Brogan, aka, Mrs. Reilly, related to any or all of the Reilly's that work for the BOE?
Bombase boys engaged in a cover up?
"No opinion about Bombace since that name is never mentioned in the article." Why would The Record not name him? The Ridgewood News named both the deputy chief and the fire chief.
Kevin is a pretty level headed individual and I have talked with him on several occasions. It is a shame that it took something like this to make Ridgewood wake up to doing the right thing. Would you want your child going into a fire without the proper equipment? How about handling hazardious uknown substance- he did the right thing. Just because the other firefighters cleanend it up without challenging does not mean it is right. Was the amount of money awarded enough? Too much? Too little? we are lucky he is the only one that went to court over it. Don't the other firefighters have a chance to sue too?
I would think that the larger the amount, the stronger the message. You can probably bet with pretty good odds that those in charge at the RFD won't repeat what was done to Kevin. A low settlement would probably have been just a slap on the hand. Nothing says "OUCH" better than a huge settlement. Unfortunately, it's a big "OUCH" not only to the RFD but to all Ridgewood residents. Most residents probably didn't even know that this was happening so we couldn't stop this train wreck before it happened.
Time to DISBAND the fire department....it's cost us way to much already and this is the final straw...wake up ridgewood idiots.....YOUR GETTING SCREWED......
how do other big towns do it.well I do no that in some towns the d p w must be on the fire dept.
folks no one should be force to take undue risks , the RFD management is solely responsible and should be held accountable
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