DECATUR, Ala. — The Personnel Board in Decatur has completed its review and denied an appeal by a firefighter who was demoted earlier this year for conduct deemed "unprofessional."
Kevin Jackson appeared at a series of hearings dating to August in his effort to reverse the decision.
Those hearings included testimony from witnesses to the event at the center of the matter.
Jackson -- a lieutenant at the time -- was rendering aid to a cardiac arrest victim in late 2023 after a tree had fallen on the man. As first responders were treating the man, another call came in for a structure fire in Jackson's jurisdiction.
According to a disciplinary letter drafted by Mayor Tab Bowling, Jackson remarked: "He is dead as f---. We're out of here."
A formal complaint was filed by someone in February 2024 and Bowling ordered the demotion in June.
In announcing its decision to reject Jackson's appeal, the Personnel Board said it determined that the demotion "was lawful" and "not too severe."
In a statement shared with FOX54 on Wednesday, the Board said it would have no further comment.
During the initial hearing, Decatur Fire Chief Tracy Thornton told FOX54 that he hated to see Jackson demoted, but that he believed the move was appropriate.
"I'm sad that we're here," Thornton said. "It's hard on the department, and it's hard on the employee. It's a tough situation all around.
"Kevin is a good person. You're going to learn from those [moments] and make better decisions going forward."
A separate appeal by another firefighter, Curtis Butler, was also denied.
The Board said it had carefully reviewed the evidence regarding Butler's demotion and found the reduction in rank to be appropriate for violations that included bringing a gun on city property and bringing a woman to the fire station after hours.
Hearings on that matter took place in August.
