Panama City fire chief resigns after complaint; PCB to hire new fire chief this week

PANAMA CITY — Following an internal investigation after the city "received a complaint," Chief Alex Baird of the Panama City Fire Department has resigned. 

The news came Monday when Baird announced in a short email to City Manager Mark McQueen that he was resigning immediately. Baird has served the department as chief since 2014.

More:Panama City Beach fire chief resigns, allegations still not revealed

"Thank you for the opportunity to work with you," he wrote. "This letter will signify my resignation, effective immediately."

His decision comes on the heels of an investigation that found that on Sept. 6, 2018, Baird "bulk renewed" the licenses of all EMTs working for the department without all having completed the necessary requirements to extend their certifications.

More:Panama City Beach fire chief on administrative leave

In an letter to McQueen, Michael Mattimore, attorney for Allen Norton & Blue, said that as of Dec. 1, 2018, only seven of the department's 20 EMTs had renewed their licenses or were first-time renewals. As of March 31, 2019, that number had jumped to more than a dozen. 

The investigation also revealed that last February, Lt. Vernon Mayhew told Baird that he hadn't completed the necessary requirements to renew his EMT certification and didn't plan to do so. 

Mattimore added that from then until now, Baird "has consistently advised" Mayhew to "decertify" as an EMT. Mayhew, who has refused to do so, "attributes the mistaken re-certification to the chief's bulk review." He would rather it be the department's responsibility.

Meanwhile, Mayhew has been "directed to act" as an EMT "having a legal duty to serve," Mattimore added.

He also said that Baird hasn't done anything to stop Mayhew from acting in that capacity or make him decertify.

"Based on these findings, it is my opinion and recommendation that the fire chief be the subject of remedial action that could take the form of a reprimand or greater, up to and including, separation for policy violation," Mattimore wrote. 

Assistant Chief Kent Taylor will act as chief of the department until a permanent replacement is found, city spokeswoman Caitlin Lawrence said. 

This information comes in the wake of Panama City Beach looking to hire a new fire chief after former Chief Larry Couch resigned in July following allegations against him.

In a past interview, Debbie Ward, spokeswoman for PCB, said the two incidents are "in no way related."

Claims against Couch also led to an investigation, which ultimately simmered out when he resigned less than a week later. He served the department for roughly 32 years and more than two years as chief. 

City Manager Tony O'Rourke added that he couldn't reveal any information about the allegations.

"(The investigation) was never complete, so I can't really speak to that," O'Rourke said. "When he retired, it kind of short circuited itself."

PCB has since received more than 40 applications to be head of the growing department from across 16 states, said Lori Philput, human resource director for PCB. That number has now been narrowed down to 10.

Philput hoped for the top-three finalists to be selected Wednesday. They will then be interviewed Thursday by O'Rourke, along with two panels of firefighters and another panel of department heads.

"We will get feedback from all panels and make a decision," Philput wrote in an email.

More:Panama City Beach turns 50, former city manager says times used to be simpler

O'Rourke, who hopes to hire a new chief by the end of the week, added that Interim Fire Chief Ray Morgan is among those being considered for the position.

"I think both for him and the department, we owe it to ourselves to do a national search, and if nothing else, validate who the best candidate is," he said. "It's only fair to be competitive."