GRAND COTEAU, La. (KLFY) — The future of Grand Coteau’s fire department is uncertain after the termination of Fire Chief Riley ‘Skippy’ Grisham, which led to a walkout by firefighters in support of their former chief.
Grisham, who has served as the fire chief for five years, was informed of his termination by the town’s mayor, Patrick Richard, without being given a reason. Grisham believes his firing was retaliatory, related to his refusal to dismiss two part-time firefighters as instructed by the mayor.
“I took my job very seriously, and I just want to let everybody know that every decision that I made as fire chief was for the citizens’ safety as number one and for the betterment of the department as number two,” Grisham stated…