Decatur Fire Department lieutenant appeals demotion after being accused of making inappropriate comments at the scene

DECATUR, Alabama (WAFF) – A city fire lieutenant has appealed his demotion before the city's personnel board, claiming he was singled out and treated differently than others.

According to the city's human resources director and two battalion chiefs, Kevin Jackson was a very strong firefighter who was passionate about his job and was a charismatic leader.

However, the testimony also portrayed him as a man whose emotions often got the better of him, creating a toxic work environment for others.

Mayor Tab Bowling demoted Jackson last month after a complaint was filed against him stemming from an incident in November.

As he rushed to the scene of a man who had been struck dead by a tree, Jackson reportedly said, “He's stone dead,” followed by “We're out of here,” before leaving to help at another fire.

Battalion Chief Brandon Strickland testified today that other firefighters often felt uncomfortable working under Jackson and felt he set a bad example as a lieutenant.

He was pressed to provide documentation showing a trend of Jackson's poor behavior, but admits he was only placed on a performance improvement plan this year.

Strickland says that while Jackson still has leadership potential, he deserved the demotion.

We didn't get a chance to hear Jackson's side of the story today.

The next hearing is on Wednesday and we will probably hear his testimony then.

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