A battalion chief of the Wilmington (NC) Fire Department (WFD) resigned the same day he was administered a breathalyzer after arriving at the scene of a train derailment under “a reasonable suspicion of alcohol.”
Battalion Chief Jimmy Casteen arrived at the scene with his fellow firefighters around 7:15 a.m. on Friday, June 28. At that time, Casteen was the highest ranked officer present and took over as incident commander. At around 9:30 a.m. WFD Deputy Chief Steve Mason was informed of the alcohol suspicion. Following city policy, Mason took Casteen to a nearby Medac facility and administered a breathalyzer test.
Immediately following the test, the department placed Casteen on suspension without pay. The city then began an internal investigation, but Casteen resigned before the investigation was complete. Casteen worked for the department since July of 1987.
Casteen’s alcohol suspicion comes after a DWI arrest in December 2012. His court date for the DWI is set for July 29.
The specific breathalyzer test results cannot be released since they are considered medical records, but the city confirmed no charges have been filed and there is no criminal investigation underway.
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While the exact specifics of this incident are not fully understood, obviously the possibility of a firefighter operating on the fireground while under the influence presents an ethical dilemma, especially when it comes to the potential risks for his colleagues and victims. Ethical problems in fire departments across the United States have spurred a movement to implement ethics policies and statements. For more on this issue, consider USFA Acknowledges New Fire Service Ethics Statement, USFA Coffee Break Training: The Emerging Issue of Fire Service Ethics, and The Fire Service Code of Honor.
