Rookie fire dispatcher alleges abuse

She quit after about 10 days, saying a supervisor subjected her to verbal and physical abuse.

By CHANDRA BROADWATER, Times Staff Writer
Published September 14, 2007

SPRING HILL - Spring Hill Fire Rescue officials have launched an internal investigation to determine if a longtime communications supervisor assaulted a new dispatcher.

Fire district commissioners briefly discussed the allegation during Wednesday night's workshop, once it was addressed by Commissioner Robert Giammarco.

"This disgusted me," Giammarco said. "It's a bad reflection on us."

Giammarco referred to a resignation letter he and other fire commissioners received in their meeting packets. The letter, from Stacy Prisco to Chief J.J. Morrison, outlined the reasons she quit after about 10 days on the job.

In the letter dated Aug. 13, Prisco said that she could not continue working at the department because of "the abuses I suffered at the hands of dispatch supervisor Pete Knauff.

"Not only was I humiliated and demeaned by his constant verbal abuse and unwarranted swearing, but I was also physically assaulted by Mr. Knauff on Aug. 9, 2007," Prisco wrote.

As soon as he was made aware of the allegations on Aug. 10, Morrison said Thursday, he assigned assistant chief Mike Rampino to lead the investigation. A final report is expected soon.

Along with the fire district attorney, Morrison said he contacted Hernando County Human Resources directorBarbara Dupre about the allegations. Because Knauff and Prisco would not be working together, it was determined that Knauff could continue in his position while the investigation was completed, he said.

Knauff has been with the department for about 20 years, Morrison said. He started out as a firefighter and then moved to dispatch after an on-the-job injury. He has been in that department for about 10 years. Morrison could not say whether Knauff had any history of misconduct with the department because of the ongoing investigation.

Firefighters union Local 2794 president Troy Hagar interrupted the fire board's discussion of the case Wednesday, saying that talking about the issue at a public meeting was not proper because the fire board could be involved in a grievance in the future. Hagar said no police report has been filed.

Giammarco said Thursday that he only wanted to address the safety and welfare of employees who work with Knauff. "Now we're jeopardizing them and I don't think that's fair," he said. "That's why I asked for an immediate suspension while this investigation goes on."

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Also Wednesday, the fire board supported a proposal to ask Spring Hill fire district voters whether the department should be independent of county control. The board is pushing for a January referendum, rather than one in November 2008.

County commissioners will hold a public hearing on the issue Sept. 18.

If voters would choose to retain county control, the fire district would then become part of Hernando County Fire Rescue. Any litigation between the two sides, such as the case the fire district currently has to define what type of agency it is, also would be considered moot.

Chandra Broadwater can be reached at cbroadwater@sptimes.com or (352) 848-1432.

[Last modified September 13, 2007, 19:56:25]