A violent crash between a Delray Beach Fire Rescue ladder truck and a Brightline train prompted an investigation into the status of firefighters’ driver’s licenses and has led to growing tension among city officials about transparency.
Fire Chief Ronald Martin has been criticized by his own employees following his decision to release the names of four people currently on paid administrative leave due to the Dec. 28 crash, which the fire department union blasted as the “optics and appearances” of transparency. But multiple elected officials made it clear at Tuesday night’s commission meeting that they are facing mounting pressure from the public for more answers.
The employees on leave are two senior staff members Assistant Chief Kevin Green and Division Chief Todd Lynch, as well as Captain Brian Fiorey, hired in 2005, and Driver Engineer David Wyatt, hired in 2002.
The South Florida Sun Sentinel on Tuesday evening obtained through a public records request the letters they received on Jan. 3, notifying them of being placed on leave. The letters from Martin to Green and Lynch said they were on leave pending an investigation of “information that was recently brought to (Martin’s) attention,” and that the investigation will focus on “the review of the driving record of City employee, David Wyatt, received on May 10, 2024.”