By Richard Rainey
Times-Picayune (New Orleans)
JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — The fire department that protects River Ridge and much of west Metairie has suspended Chief Steve Kramer, officials said Thursday. The move comes two weeks after disclosures that Kramer’s son, the department’s treasurer, doctored reports to inflate the number of firefighters responding to emergency calls.
The Third District Volunteer Fire Department relieved Kramer of his duties Wednesday night after an internal investigation, department spokesman Jody Sanderson said. He said he did not know the length of the suspension.
Kramer’s son, Eric Kramer, was ousted earlier this month after the Jefferson Parish attorney’s office uncovered evidence that in writing fire incident reports, he inaccurately ballooned the number of firefighters present at fires, officials said. Showing higher numbers could help the department’s property insurance rating, in turn lowering premiums for property owners in the area it protects.
Steve Kramer’s suspension resulted from the department’s internal investigation, not the parish attorney’s inquiry, Sanderson said. It was unclear if the two inquiries found similar results. Sanderson would not provide further information, citing the continuing investigation.
Parish Councilman Elton Lagasse, whose district includes much of the Fire Department’s turf, praised its actions.
“I think they’re moving in the right direction to get this cleaned up one way or the other,” he said.
The Fire Department protects property in River Ridge and much of the Metairie Delta area. It receives the bulk of its operating money from Jefferson Parish taxpayers.
Steve Kramer has led the part-paid, part-volunteer force at least since 2000. His position had no salary, according to the department’s federal tax returns. He could not be reached Thursday.
In September, Parish President Aaron Broussard’s administration asked the department’s board of directors to investigate reports of falsified incident reports. After six months of waiting for the results, parish attorneys launched their own separate inquiry.
The doctored reports were quickly discovered but did not affect the property insurance ratings of homes and businesses. The Third District kept its class 3 rating on a 1-10 scale, with 1 being the best.
Sanderson said the novelty of the chief’s suspension has forced the 57-year-old Fire Department to turn to the parliamentary rules that govern assemblies for guidance on how to proceed.
“Because this is such an unprecedented situation, we will strictly adhere to Robert’s Rules of Order as to what happens next,” he said.
Copyright 2008 The Times-Picayune Publishing Company