Hero lieutenant slams Topeka fire chief at council hearing. Calls Giles a liar. Mayor cuts him off.
Click image above to see story from WIBW-TV
Topeka Fire Department Lt. Jim Seichepine tried to tell City Council members and the public Tuesday night that Chief Howard Giles “lied to my face”, before being cut off by by Mayor Bill Bunten. This is the latest episode in an ongoing battle between Chief Giles and many of his firefighters.
Lt. Seichepine had just received a standing ovation for winning the Thomas McGaughey Fire Service Award from the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office, the highest honor in the state to recognize the heroism of a firefighter.
Seichepine’s appearance before the council was a belated one. Controversy erupted a week earlier when Chief Giles was recognized at a council hearing for being named Fire Chief of the Year by the Kansas State Association of Fire Chiefs. Giles never mentioned Seichepine’s award for rescuing a child from a burning home last November.
Reading from a prepared speech, the lieutenant said the following (transcribed from the above video with additional quotes from an article by Tim Hrenchir at CJOnline.com):
“When are you, the leaders of this community, going to start taking the safety of the citizens in this community seriously. By doing nothing, you are essentially leaving that child or that family in that house to burn because you are not hearing their calls for help to lead them to safety. This last week’s events should have brought some realization to you about the type of man we are dealing with here. A man that stood before me and lied to my face. A man who obviously is no leader …”
It was at that point Mayor Bunten interrupted, saying, “Just a moment. Just a moment. I respectfully ask you to not do that”.
The lieutenant paused and then replied, “I guess I’m done”.
Bunten also said, “The rules of this council do not allow us to get personal in these things. We’re here to recognize you for bravery.”
According to CJOnline.com, Lt. Seichepine noted that he was among union members who expressed no confidence in Chief Giles in a vote last year.
Giles was at the council hearing.
