Florida Fire Chief Continues to Respond to Calls

FREEPORT, Fla. -- It doesn't appear that Fire Chief Ben Greenslait is willing to accept a desk job.

There have been reports that Greenslait, who the state says is not certified to act as a fire scene commander, has been responding to service calls in the two days since he was relegated to the role of administrative chief.

They were confirmed Thursday by the Walton County Sheriff's Office.

His actions have created a dilemma for Sheriff Mike Adkinson, who is trying to figure out what Greenslait can and can't do without firefighter II certification.

"If he's taking action as a firefighter where he has no authority to take action as a firefighter, we have an obligation to step in," Adkinson said.

The city of Freeport received word Monday that the state's Bureau of Fire Standards and Training had confirmed that Greenslait's firefighter II certification had lapsed.

Bureau supervisor Dennis Hackett ordered the chief to refrain from continuing "activities that are not authorized" without firefighter II certification.

At a special meeting Tuesday night, the City Council approved a proposal by Mayor Mickey Marse to make Greenslait an administrative chief, and said two Walton County deputies had volunteered to stand in for him at fire scenes.

But Marse hustled through the meeting in three minutes, and never offered an explanation of what Greenslait's duties or limitations would be.

When asked about Greenslait's status Thursday, Councilman Earl King hung up on a reporter. Councilman Ray Jackson couldn't answer what Greenslait's role as an administrative chief was to be.

"I can check with our attorney and find out," he said.

The attorney, Clayton Adkinson, did not return phone calls Thursday, and there was no answer Marse's place of business.

Greenslait did not return a phone call.

Former Freeport firefighter Ted Brown said he saw Greenslait on Wednesday night responding, with city vehicle lights flashing, to a distressed boater call, and saw him Thursday at a fire scene.

Brown said he saw Greenslait acting as an on-scene commander at the Fourth of July call.

He said he told deputies at the scene Thursday that Greenslait should be arrested for impersonating a firefighter. He has filed two criminal complaints with the Sheriff's Office.

But Sheriff Adkinson said he is unsure how to respond until he gets some clarification from the state.

State officials didn't offer any quick, clear answers, either. Adkinson said late Thursday he had gotten no closer to nailing down what Greenslait was authorized to do than when he'd started asking questions.

"We're going to get an answer," he vowed.

Deborah Cox, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Fire Standards and Training, also apparently was unable to find an answer by the close of business Thursday.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service