Minn. City Sues Former Firefighter/EMT Over Photo Use

July 26--The city of Woodbury has filed a lawsuit against a former firefighter to get him to stop using pictures allegedly identifying himself as a Woodbury firefighter on the website of a nonprofit company that he started.

The lawsuit, filed in Washington County District Court against William Braun and EdQuest Inc., alleges that Braun is using a picture of himself in a firefighter helmet saying "Woodbury Firefighter" on the website FirePrevented.org.

The lawsuit says that the website and other marketing material used by Baun with the words "Woodbury Firefighter/EMT" amount to false advertising, consumer fraud and trademark infringement because Braun no longer works as a firefighter for the city and because Braun copied an image produced by the city without permission.

The lawsuit, filed Friday, says that Braun resigned as a paid on-call firefighter with the city on Oct. 8, 2015.

It says that EdQuest, the nonprofit started by Braun, provides fire education programs for children in Washington and Ramsey counties for a fee and that Braun is paid by EdQuest.

The lawsuit seeks an injunction barring Braun from using the term "Woodbury Fire Fighter" or "Woodbury Firefighter/EMT" in marketing materials. The suit also seeks legal fees from Braun.

Braun, who ran unsuccessfully for the Woodbury City Council in 2014 and is running again this year, said Monday "the city is trying to squelch political speech" because of his criticisms of fire protection in the city.

Braun said the helmet in the picture on the website is his own property, and although he no longer works for the city's fire department, he still is a licensed firefighter living in Woodbury and working for the Woodbury Fire Brigade, an educational organization that is part of Braun's EdQuest nonprofit.

"It's really ridiculous for them to suggest there's any confusion," Braun said.

Copyright 2016 - Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.