Improper Firefighter Certifications Issued from 2012-2016
A former Iowa fire academy manager has been charged with making up scores on tests that were used to improperly certify more than 1,700 firefighters and emergency responders.
A criminal complaint unsealed Wednesday alleges that former Fire Services Training Bureau certification manager John McPhee assigned “random scores to exams” without properly checking or correcting them.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety revealed that the bureau issued nearly 2,300 improper certifications to 1,706 firefighters and emergency personnel between 2012 and 2016.
As for the Le Mars Fire Department, Fire Chief Dave Schipper says everyone is correctly certified.
The Le Mars Fire Department is more than qualified and no one should worry.
Advocates for firefighters said Wednesday they fear the impact will be significant, undermining trust in their profession and requiring hundreds to retake tests they thought they’d passed long ago.
Many departments require their firefighters to have certification, although it isn’t state-mandated.
McPhee was arrested Tuesday on charges of misconduct in office and tampering with records.
KING TO INTRODUCE ANTI ABORTION “HEARTBEAT” BILL
Iowa Congressman Steve King is introducing legislation he says would go a long way toward eliminating abortion nationwide.
King, a Republican from Kiron, is calling it “The Heartbeat Bill,” and under it, abortions would be banned once a heartbeat is detected in the unborn child.
King suggests the bill could be a vehicle to overturn Roe versus Wade, the landmark 1973 U-S Supreme Court case which made abortion legal.
While the woman would be immune from prosecution, King says the doctor would face jail time.
King says he has support from several other lawmakers in the House for the bill, The Heartbeat Protection Act of 2017.
Vaccination Exemption Bill Approved By Iowa Legislative
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa legislative panel has approved a bill that would make it easier for parents to avoid requirements that their children be vaccinated.
The subcommittee approved the bill Thursday despite testimony from health care professionals that the move would lower vaccination rates and could ultimately lead to more sick children.
Iowa already allows parents to skip vaccinations based on religious beliefs or medical needs, but the bill would let parents state they simply had a personal conviction against vaccinations.
Dr. Nathan Boonstra, a Des Moines pediatrician, said fewer immunizations could cause “grave concern” for public health.
However, the two Republicans on the three-member panel say parents should have the freedom to make decisions for their children.
The measure now moves to the full House Human Resources Committee.
