Texas Chief Fires Firefighter for "Incompetence"

June 29--Austin Fire Department Chief Rhoda Mae Kerr has fired a firefighter who she said was unable to competently and safely perform her duties, according to a disciplinary memo released this week. Long-serving firefighter Andrea Mote-Yale was fired Tuesday, a few months after she met with Division Chief Dawn Clopton to set up a plan to improve her performance, the memo said.

Previous deficiencies included being removed from calls due to poor fitness, becoming flustered and shutting down during incidents, improperly treating patients on three occasions, and requiring "constant supervision" despite her training, the memo said.

Mote-Yale failed several physical and lifesaving technique tests, and Kerr said in the memo that she refused to take responsibility for those failures and claimed that guidance was not given when it was. The memo also said Mote-Yale's commanding officers had no faith in her abilities.

"This is not a decision I made easily or without thoughtful consideration," Kerr wrote. "But I simply cannot, and will not, put firefighters' or citizens' lives at risk."

Bob Nicks, president of the Austin Firefighters Association, said the firing marked the first time to his knowledge that a firefighter has been terminated for incompetence. He said that Mote-Yale plans to appeal.

Nicks said he is particularly concerned that Kerr based the firing on whether Mote-Yale could meet standards for cadet and probationary firefighters even though she had been with the department for more than a decade. Entry-level firefighters are more focused on learning those skills to get hired, Nicks said.

"Unilaterally imposing an incumbent standard based on cadet and probationary standards could set a dangerous precedent," he said in a statement to members. "A better approach may be to negotiate a reasonable incumbent standard, developed through a collaborative management/labor process."

Nicks said Mote-Yale is one of only about 60 or 70 female firefighters at the department, about 8 percent of its total employees. The department has had issues in the past related to gender; one female firefighter sued the department in 2008 over what she said were inequalities between male and female locker rooms.

Contact Patrick George at 445-3548; On Twitter @patrickgeorge1

Copyright 2012 - Austin American-Statesman, Texas