| Description | Volume_Issue | Year | Month | PDF |
| Today we outline the "special relationship" exception to the Public Duty Doctrine, as it pertains to 911 calls, discuss amendments to the HIPAA Privacy Rule, the legality of polygraph testing under RCW 49.44, and a great article from Sebris Busto James about EEOC Guidelines. | 11-01 | 2013 | 6 | v11n01jun2013.pdf |
| The Public Duty Doctrine is an incredibly important doctrine that protects fire districts and other municipal corporations from liability, and today we discuss the doctrine and the many exceptions to it; then we look at some cases of interest from the US Supreme Court involving sexual harassment, freedom of speech, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. | 02-07 | 1998 | 7 | v02n07jul1998.pdf |
| This issue discusses the importance of policies on recreational marijuana use, as it pertains to liability for negligence; we also discuss how overtime is calculated under FLSA in the event shifts are traded or employees substitute for one another; and finally, we consider a recent Washington Supreme Court case that has solidified the definition of "respiratory disease," as that pertains to injured firefighters. | 13-11 | 2015 | 11 | November2015FINAL.pdf |
| Today we discuss our upcoming Municipal Roundtable, and a recent lawsuit filed against Washington State under RCW 76.04.760, a new statute which creates a cause of action for failure to prevent a fire on forest lands from spreading, and implications that may have for fire districts and regional fire authorities, under the public duty doctrine. | 13-12 | 2015 | 12 | December2015FINAL.pdf |
| In today's Firehouse Lawyer we focus on when a donation to a nonprofit corporation may be deemed an unconstitutional gift of public funds; we also report on a Washington case which reminds us that fire departments may be sued when one of their paramedics or EMT's fails to report suspected abuse of a child or vulnerable adult. | 14-05 | 2016 | 5 | May2016FINAL.pdf |
| Today we discuss an important Washington Supreme Court case involving the liability of a city for what may have been the intentionally wrongful conduct of a police officer; we also outline annexation issues involving cities, forestland and taxation issues, and some minor linguistic changes to WAC 296-305, the safety standards for firefighters. | 17-06 | 2019 | 6 | June2019FINAL.pdf |
| Today we consider what your agency should do with grant money it receives during the Covid-19 pandemic; we also discuss the status of Governor Inslee's order on in-person meetings, and an important case involving the public duty doctrine. | 18-04 | 2020 | 4 | April2020FINAL.pdf |
| Today we consider whether a governing body may hold all-virtual meetings after Proclamation 20-28 is no longer the law of the land; we also discuss when a first responder may have a duty to act at a particular scene, and how the Norg case is very important in that analysis. | 19-07 | 2021 | 7 | July2021FINAL.pdf |
| This issues considers a substantial Washington Supreme Court case regarding the public duty doctrine, contractor bonds, new potential legislation pertaining to the bid laws, and annual retreats. | 21-01 | 2023 | 1 | January2023FINAL.pdf |