Thompsonville Fire Chief Files Federal Lawsuit

A federal lawsuit against the Thompsonville Fire District Commission and its chairwoman has been filed by veteran Fire Chief Frank Alaimo.

Alaimo, who is completing an unpaid 30-day suspension imposed by the commission in December, filed the lawsuit Tuesday against the fire district and commission chair Colleen Ann Reidy, according to reports.

In the lawsuit, Alaimo claims he was discriminated against because of a disability, that he was not paid wages and that fire officials invaded his privacy when they made disparaging comments about his health in public, according to The Courant.

The suit comes on the heels of Alaimo’s suspension imposed by the commissioners who said he had not responded to requests for information including an accounting of hours he worked, logs of daily activity and mileage on fire trucks, according to the reports. The commission also required he respond to all emergency and fire calls.

The commission also has been critical of Alaimo’s response to emergencies, especially in the wake of the fatal house fire on South River Street on Dec. 10, according to NBC Connecticut.

NBC also reported, the lawsuit claims Reidy was part of a group who in 2012 opposed the construction of a $3.5-million fire station that Alaimo was a strong proponent for and then became a target of personal attacks.

The Courant also reports that Alaimo, who’s been a firefighter for 35 years including seven as chief, plans to file complaints with Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claiming age discrimination.

The Courant story can be found here. And the NBC Connecticut story can be found here.

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