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Lansing firefighter fights termination January 16, 2020
Prior to his dismissal, he was enjoying his job, performing at a high level and receiving outstanding evaluations - even being asked to lead training sessions. But from the start, he was subjected to discrimination and intimidation. For a short time before he joined the Lansing Fire Department in July 2016, Ockerman pitched for the Seattle Mariners. His major league career was cut short by an arm injury followed by unsuccessful surgery. He believes that his celebrity as a major leaguer along with his 6’11” stature made him a target. On his second day on the job, his superior officer had him spend hours pitching to another firefighter. Despite his injury, he felt he could not refuse. The pressure to engage in unprofessional activities continued. On several occasions, officers and battalion chiefs summoned firefighters to specific locations within the station to drink beer while on duty. They were made to feel that if they did not participate, they were somehow going against the “old school” ways in the Fire Department. The drinking got so out of hand that one evening a firefighter set off fireworks inside the station resulting in the fire alarm being triggered and Dispatch having to call the station to find out what was going on. Ockerman and others objected to the drinking, but were afraid to speak up about it. Even so, he was personally harassed. His car was vandalized on several occasions prior to having to report for shift. He received threatening and abusive text messages, sometimes over 100 a day. The harassment appeared to be coming from within the Fire Department. He brought this concern to Assistant Chief Mike Tobin, and Tobin was so concerned he placed him on paid leave while the matter was investigated. Ockerman never heard the results of the investigation, so he went to (then) Fire Chief Dave Purchase to explain and make him aware (as his ultimate superior officer) of what was going on. Purchase seemed concerned to the point he arranged a meeting with Ockerman, Tobin, and chief labor negotiator Nickolas Tate. Tate expressed concern and a willingness to investigate, but Ockerman has yet to hear what he found. Although there are plenty of well-educated, driven, ethical firefighters in the department, Ockerman says, they are hindered by unprofessional and corrupt leadership. Tax dollars are wasted when the City purchases equipment without input from Suppression Division - the firefighters using the equipment daily. Purchases are made from vendors with inside connections. When equipment breaks down, the City tells the garage to put a band-aid on it; it does not need to be fixed. Faulty equipment endangers the lives of the firefighters and the citizens they serve. Ockerman says he brought his concerns to City officials two months ago, but has heard nothing back. Send comments, questions, and tips to stevenrharry@gmail.com or call or text me at 517-730-2638. If you'd like to be notified by email when I post a new story, let me know.
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Public
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Tomorrow,
Justin Ockerman has an arbitration hearing. Represented by the IAFF
Local 421, he is appealing his January 15, 2019 termination as a Lansing
firefighter. He feels he was fired on a technicality: failing to have a
person who refused medical care sign a statement to that effect. His
partner on that EMS call - who was senior to him – kept his job.