Excerpts from Fox32Chicago.com:
According to the city’s inspector general, at least 20 out of the 111 African-American firefighters hired by the Chicago Fire Department following a long-standing discrimination lawsuit were not medically cleared by a department physician before starting their duties. Two of these individuals suffered severe medical issues and died while off-duty, raising serious concerns about the process used to vet new hires.
This situation stems from a legal battle that began under former Mayor Richard M. Daley and was resolved during Mayor Rahm Emanuel's tenure. The city agreed to hire 111 African-American firefighters who had been bypassed in a 1995 entrance exam due to discriminatory practices, and paid $78.4 million in compensation to nearly 6,000 affected candidates.
Last month, Mayor Emanuel highlighted this resolution as a success, saying the city had "paid out around $60 million to $75 million" and helped those individuals fulfill their dream of becoming firefighters. However, the inspector general’s recent report revealed a critical flaw in the hiring process.
In his quarterly report, Inspector General Joe Ferguson disclosed that 20 members of the so-called "Lewis class" had not received proper medical clearance from CFD physicians, violating both national standards and internal policies. One of the two firefighters who later died had already raised red flags, but the process failed to address them adequately.
Ferguson emphasized the importance of medical clearance for firefighters, noting that the lack of proper checks put lives at risk. He urged the fire department to take immediate action to ensure all remaining 18 firefighters were fit for duty and to implement a formal policy aligned with national standards.
The Chicago Fire Department responded by stating that all 111 firefighters had undergone medical evaluations by an outside vendor. Their own doctors then reviewed the files, either clearing the candidates or requesting additional tests. However, they admitted that delays in processing led to some administrative staff stepping in to handle the reviews.
These non-medical personnel cleared 19 of 53 candidates and rejected 34 due to incomplete documentation. A 20th may have also been cleared administratively. A former and current medical director told investigators that these staff lacked the necessary medical expertise to properly assess fitness for duty.
After the first death, the department brought in an external doctor to re-evaluate the files of the 19 administratively cleared firefighters. This doctor identified six with potential health risks, but the department only followed up on two. Tragically, one of those two died shortly after, and the other later experienced a separate medical issue.
Despite these incidents, the department claimed it was advised by legal counsel that conducting further exams could violate the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, they now state that new procedures are in place, following National Fire Protection Association guidelines, and that all medical clearances must now be done by CFD physicians.
Thanks Dan
Mini Golf Mat,Golf Swing Training Mats,Mini Practice Golf Mat,Portable Golf Mat
Yantai UVT Sports Co.,Ltd. , https://www.uvtgolf.com