HFD firefighter sues city of Houston
By Rucks Russell at KHOU News, Houston
A Houston firefighter at the center of a harassment investigation has filed a lawsuit against the city. The harassment investigation began in 2009 when Jane Draycott and another female firefighter said racist and sexist graffiti was scribbled on their lockers at Fire Station 54. Draycott has been on leave ever since.
In Draycott’s lawsuit, she claims she was the victim of repeated unwanted sexual advances from other firefighters at multiple stations where she worked, and after she reported it, she was harassed by her superiors.
“This is a situation that’s not going to be corrected by itself,” said Draycott’s attorney Joe Ahmad outside his downtown office. “The fire department isn’t going to right the situation by itself, and so she had no other choice but to file a lawsuit.”
In January, she tried to return to Fire Station 54, but left after a captain read a letter during roll call that said she wasn’t to be trusted. But in a new development, city officials say Draycott has agreed to return to work next Monday. Several firefighters from Station 54 have since been reassigned, while the Office of Inspector General continues its 10-month investigation into the incident.
Houston Mayor Anisse Parker has been a vocal critic of HFD’s handling of the crisis. “I’m looking for new leadership in the department and a new attitude,” said Parker. “You can never be afraid to speak the truth.”
But the head of the Houston Professional Firefighters Association blames the mayor for poisoning efforts to get at the truth. “This has left a black cloud over the entire department,” said HPFFA President Jeff Caynon. “When the mayor makes remarks like these, it’s problematic.
Draycott’s lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages. Her attorney said he might file additional lawsuit on behalf of other female firefighters in the coming weeks.
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WOW seems like HFD has got a load on their hands, rumors are that Drycock did the graffiti herself. maybe its just me but i would try to transfer elsewhere if im not wanted, i mean if she was going into a hostile work enviorment why keep going back. and her attorney Allah Akbar should let the other female handle her own issues, or is it a money issue with this guy. and the mayor Mr. Parker saying ” you can never be afraid to speak the truth” well sometimes we dont know the whole truth and should shut our mouths until an investigation is complete. one bad apple doesnt mean the entire orchard has gone bad, if these allegations are true, doesnt mean the entire dept is the same way.
Houston, shut this ridiculous little piece of work up and shut this scam down now! Take all those reports from the grafitti “incident” investigation, along with Draycott’s work files here and from Beaumont, and publish it all right here, right now— and then you start the CRIMINAL charges– that’s enough of this idiotic carnival! Shut it down now!
On behalf of all the wives of the men employed by the City of Houston with HFD, I have to express my complete dismay concerning the Jane Draycott case as well as other recent happenings in the dept. With Houston’s women firefighters taking off their clothes and posing as smutty sluts in recent calendar spreads, for of all things the Susan G. Komen breast cancer charity, and of course, the beyond belief poses in the Pipe and Drums publication…WHAT CAN WE EXPECT!!! My question is what are the intentions of these women that chose to become so-called Firefighter EMTs, Engine Operators, Paramedics in a highly regarded, male-dominated job society and then they STRIPTEASE for the department and disgracefully put it out there in the name of CHARITY for such a personally sensitive matter as breast cancer. Shame on each and every woman employed by HFD who thought so little of herself and the commitment to this profession to pose for these degrading, distasteful calendars, shame on HFD and the City of Houston’s officials for allowing it. Also, as the daughter of a victim to breast cancer as well as a friend to many others, survivors and victims, SHAME on the Susan G. Komen Foundation for being the “lack of brains” behind such an offensive, tasteless piece of work. I write this on behalf of all the wives of Houston Firefighters because I believe we have a voice that hasn’t been heard. The voice says I’m mad as hell that my husband has to go to work for an organization that has been contaminated by such blatant immoral, sexist and degrading antics. The voice says get these want -to- be “sex kittens” and all those that encourage them out of the department before one of them ends up getting my husband killed! The men that commit their lives to serving in the Houston Fire Department, the ones that are going to put their lives on the line every 24-hr shift and the families of these men should be able to hold them in high regard as the brave and courageous heros that they aspire to be. However, the reality is a few bad apples can ruin not only many otherwise worthy reputations, but also many unsuspecting lives as is evident in the Draycott case.