By Fran Spielman
Chicago Sun Times
Copyright 2007 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
A Chicago Fire Department with a history of discrimination and racial tension moved Monday to dismiss an assistant deputy chief paramedic accused of inquiring about the race of an underling who asked for time off to visit a hospitalized child.
Donald W. Walsh told the Sun-Times last week he was so bitter about being railroaded, he has no desire to return to the department he loves.
Now Walsh, 51, will get his wish -- but not on his own terms.
He was informed Monday that he was being terminated, ending a 31-year career that includes a doctorate, two books and a host of commendations. He has 96 hours to respond to the charges.
“This action results from not only the improper questioning concerning a paramedic’s race but also administrative actions that left an ambulance out of service and unavailable to provide medical care to the people of Chicago for an extended period of time,” said Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford.
“A replacement paramedic was not pressed into service, even though the investigation has determined that several fully trained personnel were available.”
Walsh called both allegations “outright lies.” He said the question he asked was “Is he back on the ambulance yet?” -- not “Is he black?” And Walsh said he called a replacement paramedic “within an hour.”
BLAMES FIRE CHIEF
Walsh said he plans to retire this week, then file an official complaint with federal hiring monitor Noelle Brennan. He called the firing “political retribution” by Fire Commissioner Ray Orozco.
“This is getback. I was part of the team that assisted the Illinois Senate investigation on the poor response of the Chicago Fire Department to the 1995 heat wave when [Orozco’s] father was commissioner,” Walsh said.
When Orozco Jr. assumed his dad’s old job, Walsh said, “I told him about unethical practices by other exempt rank people -- everything from civilian personnel wearing uniforms to civilian personnel making decisions, lying to outside committees and not following federal guidelines. This is what happens when you hold people accountable.”
WON AWARD 5 YEARS AGO
On March 3, Walsh was allegedly on the phone with a field officer who asked if a paramedic could go to a South Side hospital because of an emergency involving his child. Walsh asked if the paramedic was white or black, according to what the field officer has told department officials.
Five years ago, Walsh was given a prestigious award by the International Association of Fire Chiefs for his work on “fire-based EMS” around the world. Walsh was recognized for working through the U.N. to develop an urban rescue program for Turkey after 20,000 people died in a 1999 earthquake there.