Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon dismissed the Baltimore City Fire Department's division chief of training as she cracks down on the lapses that led to the death of a trainee during a firefighting exercise.
As WJZ's Eyewitness News reports, results of a preliminary investigation into the death of 29-year-old firefighter trainee Racheal Wilson revealed major mistakes, shortcomings and violations of department training procedures.
At a Thursday afternoon news conference concerning the investigation, Dixon said the flaws and breakdowns that were evident in Wilson's death show a need to make a decision concerning the leadership of the department.
She dismissed the division chief of fire training, Kenneth Hyde. He had been suspended without pay after Wilson's death. The mayor also suspended two fire department lieutenants without pay for 60 days.
Dixon decided the department's fire chief, William Goodwin Jr., will keep his job.
Dixon also ordered a panel of fire experts to conduct a full independent review of the department's training practices and report directly to her by March 30.
Dixon said 25 national safety standards and training guidelines were not followed Feb. 9, the day Wilson died.
"If anyone has done anything inappropriate or failed to protect trainee Wilson or any other trainee they will be held accountable," a Dixon spokesperson said earlier this week.
After a series of complaints, City Council leaders want to conduct their own investigation into allegations of irregularities in the fire department training program.
Councilman Ken Harris will introduce a resolution on Monday based on firefighter allegations or improper training supervision, protocol and instruction.
"This is an investigation of the council asking that the fire chief come before us and explain what happened and where are we to date so we can help get this resolved," said Harris.
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Republished with permission of WJZ-TV.
