MOUNT VERNON — The integrity of the Mount Vernon Fire Department’s record keeping came under fire as Knox County Prosecutor John Thatcher discovered it is possible that not all firefighters finished continuing education courses when called out on emergency runs. Thatcher encouraged the department to conduct an internal audit of the process and self-report to the Department of Public Safety there could have been questionable certifications issued.
Mount Vernon Safety-Service Director Dave Glass said citizens should not be worried. He is confident all the firefighters and all the paramedics in the fire department are properly trained and qualified to do their jobs.
Glass said allegations that some individuals received credit for training they did not complete are not true. Each individual firefighter has to submit the training information to the Department of Public Safety which has to approve the recertification, he said. The department of public safety also conducts random audits of paramedics to make sure the certification is current and correct.
“We will certainly look into this accusation,” he continued. “This is a different situation than with Christy. What we are dealing with now is whether firefighters who got called out of a class due to an emergency call — and were out for an hour — did they finish their class or not. That’s the thing I think we’re dealing with now. ... The mayor [Richard Mavis] and I will be talking with the chief [Chris Menapace] in the next couple of days about anything we need to do to review our own records, maybe even self monitor right now while the bureau is doing it, too. We want it to be right as much as anybody. I’m comfortable that it is, but you certainly have to go in and take a look when an accusation is made.”
Related
Mount Vernon Fire Chief suspended, placed on administrative leave · June 3, 2011
Chief Christy: “I’m in the dark on this as much as anybody” · June 3, 2011
MV fire chief placed on paid leave; complaint filed · June 4, 2011
City still mum on fire chief · June 6, 2011
Christy’s certification ’needs approval’ · June 9, 2011
State won’t hear case against fire chief yet · June 14, 2011
Status of city’s fire chief in limbo · June 16, 2011
Investigation into fire chief continues · June 20, 2011
City’s legal eagles take on MV fire chief’s case · June 25, 2011
Investigation continues into fire chief’s re-certification · July 1, 2011
Fire chief investigation continues · July 13, 2011
Information collected in investigation into fire chief · July 14, 2011
City sets meeting with fire chief · July 23, 2011
Information shared at meeting with chief · July 28, 2011
Firefighters frustrated at lack of decision · August 23, 2011
MVFD Chief Christy turned in his resignation last Friday · August 25, 2011
City accepts Christy’s resignation · August 27, 2011
Former Fire Chief Shawn T. Christy was indicted on 19 felony counts · September 7, 2011
Former fire chief Christy indicted on 19 felony charges · September 7, 2011
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Fire chief’s test completed; city waiting on grades · October 21, 2011
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Fire chief results to be released Friday · October 25, 2011
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Menapace named MV fire chief · October 29, 2011
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Trials for Christy, Roberts postponed · December 7, 2011
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Fire chief asks for change in personnel · December 13, 2011
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Christy trial postponed · March 5, 2012
Christy trial rescheduled for August · May 8, 2012
Chief Christy was on paid administrative leave for 87 days.
Menapace on Tuesday assured the News that training policies are in place and declined further comment on matters related to the Christy case.
Geoff Dutton, media relations director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, confirmed that random certification audits are performed on a monthly basis, but declined comment further at this time.
