Court Rules Volunteer Fire Dept. Can Comprise Both Paid, Volunteer Members

A California appeals court shot down a fire department's argument that it should be exempt from a cancer-stricken firefighter's workers' compensation claim on the grounds that he did not qualify as an employee and worked there too long ago. While noting that "neither of the statutes at issue is a model of clarity," Justice Therese M. Stewart said that Marinwood Fire Protection District had misinterpreted the two statutes in question. California's First District Court of Appeal, Division Two designated the case for publication on Wednesday. Petitioner Pete Romo had ...