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May 13, 2008 10:46 pm US/Central
Former Firefighter, Paramedic Sues University Park
Reporting
Jack Fink
UNIVERSITY PARK (CBS 11 News) ―
A former firefighter-paramedic is suing the city of University Park, claiming that the city illegally fired him shortly after he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Jason Salisbury is a former Firefighter of the Year. His troubles first started, he explained, about two years ago. He mentioned to his lieutenant that he was having nightmares about some of the medical emergencies that he has responded to, including Tim Richardson murdering his wife in their home in 1999. "I walked in on that man decapitating his wife with a pair of scissors," Salisbury said.
"I've seen some horrific situations and they bothered me," Salisbury continued. "I think anyone normal, if you see little kids dead, murders, it's going to bother you. It bothered me."
The city referred Salisbury for counseling and he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. After receiving therapy, his doctor cleared him to answer fire calls, but not medical emergencies. That is when, Salisbury said, the city fired him. "I talked to them about it, and they fired me for it," Salisbury said.
Officials with the city of University Park said that they have a great deal of sympathy for Salisbury, but in his federal lawsuit, the former firefighter-paramedic claims that the city discriminated and retaliated against him because of his disability.
"I just want my job back, and I want justice," Salisbury said. "That's just not right."
Salisbury wants to return as a firefighter, but cannot be a paramedic on a regular basis. Five others people on the city's fire department do not respond to medical emergencies because they were hired before the city required it. "You've got guys with the same thing I do, and they're not going to come forward with it," said Salisbury. "They're afraid they'll be fired."
Since losing his job, Salisbury said, he has made far less money and has moved out of the area. He is very thankful, however, for support from the firefighter's union.
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