Firefighter’s service dog creates conflict with fire deparment
This is an unusual story that I’m sure few fire department’s have dealt with. Kevin Leverence is a firefighter in Aurora, Illinois. He’s also a Marine Corps veteran who received a Purple Heart during his 9-month deployment to Iraq in 2004.
Since his time in Iraq, Leverence has suffered from PTSD that impacted all aspects of his life, including his work as a firefighter. Two-months-ago America arrived. America is a two-year-old yellow Lab service dog trained to assist those with PTSD.
Fire Chief John Lehman agreed to allow America to join Leverence at work. America is not allowed to respond on emergency or non-emergency runs. But as the details have been worked out, there have been issues. One of those conflicts has Firefighter Leverence scheduled to appear before a disciplinary hearing and Leverence filing a discrimination complaint against the department.
Lauren Leone, The Herald News (more coverage here):
His request for a service dog was approved in August through the Aurora Fire Department, but he said an issue recently arose when his boss ordered him to tour the department’s nine stations – which have three shifts each, so 27 visits – over three days as a way to introduce his service dog to co-workers.
“She’s not a pet. She’s a medical device. And it’s hard to make people understand that. She’s warm and fuzzy and cuddly. A wheelchair doesn’t lick your face,” Leverence said. “But I think that’s the hard part. That’s what we’re trying to show … that she is not a pet.”
In email exchanges provided by Leverence, he told his boss, Fire Chief John Lehman, that the overwhelming schedule could jeopardize his relationship with America. Lehman turned down Leverence’s alternatives, such as using a video conferencing system or visiting stations over the course of several weeks.
Leverence said he also was worried the tour would force him into having to explain to his 200 co-workers his disability or justify his need for America.
