Legal and Liability Risk Management Institute
The Fire Service Division of LLRMI is dedicated to providing fire department, fire chiefs, and firefighters with the comprehensive risk management and litigation support services.
This includes:
-
Fire Service Risk Assessments
(FSRA)-LLRMI conducts risk assessments of Fire Service
organizations to identify areas of potential liability exposure.
Liability exposure is associated not only with costly lawsuits,
but with safety risks to personnel and the public. The
assessment process consists of a review of department policies,
training, and recordkeeping related to the12 high risk critical
tasks in the Fire Service. LLRMI also offers an on-site review
to evaluate policies and practices. On-site review includes
technical assistance to assist the agency in reducing liability
exposure. Reducing liability exposure enhances risk management
and increases firefighter safety.
-
Policy Review and Drafting
Agencies
or risk managers that do not need a full-risk assessment may
want to have a particular policy or set of policies reviewed or
drafted. LLRMI utilizes
its team of experts to review policies, provide recommendations
or technical advice, and/or draft customized state of the art
policies. Polices will be reviewed for compliance with legal
requirements, national standards, and best practices.
-
Litigation support:
LLRMI provides comprehensive
litigation support to organizations and attorneys involved in
fire service litigation. From case strategy to expert witnesses,
LLRMI provides a wide range of pretrial and trial services to
facilitate litigation preparedness. Through experience with fire
service cases across the United States, LLRMI’s staff can help
lawyers, law firms and legal departments prepare and try a case,
whether interviewing and preparing witnesses, advising on jury
selection, deposition, case and document review, medical records
examination, standard of care evaluation, courtroom exhibits and
technical trial presentations.
-
Expert Witness Services
LLRMI has an on-going affiliation with over 60 Fire Service
experts who are nationally recognized in their particular Fire
Service field. Unlike
many expert services that operate as a single person entity,
LLRMI takes the team approach and can provide a
multi-disciplinary approach to a single case where doing so will
enhance the Fire Service organization’s case.
-
Training LLRMI offers a full range
of the highest quality training for risk managers and fire
officers. These courses
include
Managing Fire Service Liability and Safety Best Practices,
Fire Department
Occupational Safety & Health Programs,
Avoiding the Mayday,
Common
Sense ICS, Fire
Department Administrative Investigations and Discipline,
Writing and
Implementing Defensible Policies and Procedures, to name a
few.
-
Critical Incident Response LLRMI provides
immediate access to Fire Service experts in cases where a
department is in the midst of a critical incident.
LODDs, fatal apparatus accidents, and high profile sexual
misconduct cases have taken their toll on fire departments in
recent years. Many departments confront critical incidents
sporadically, and are not familiar with proven policies and
practices to minimize liability exposure once such an event
occurs. LLRMI stands
ready to assist agencies with immediate and timely advice with
respect to critical incidents.
LLRMI’s unique ability to bring together a large number
of Fire Service experts enhances the level of advice available
to agencies at such a critical time.
-
Audits and Inspections LLRMI provides audits and
inspection services related to those areas of Fire Service
operations that create the most frequent liability potential and
exposure. These on-site
evaluations supplement and enhance the management of your
agency’s risk exposure.
During our on-site work, our professionals will provide specific
training and guidance for your agency’s staff to allow them to
maintain on-going internal inspections and audits.
- On-Going Technical Assistance In circumstances where
an insurance group, risk manager; or Fire Service entity has an
on-going concern with any of a wide-range of agency operations,
LLRMI can provide expert on-going technical assistance.
LLRMI has over 60 Fire Service subject matter experts who
can be utilized to assist a department in ensuring compliance
with the generally accepted practices and legal mandates
applicable to the Fire Service.
This process may include auditing and monitoring of
progress in implementing policies to avoid civil liability where
such services are requested.