Florida State Fire Marshal Investigates Fire Chief

FREEPORT, Fla. -- State fire officials are investigating Fire Chief Ben Greenslait amid allegations that he is not properly certified.

Deborah Cox, a spokeswoman for the Florida State Fire Marshal's Office, confirmed Tuesday that Greenslait's "certification is currently under review."

The review was prompted by complaints filed by Walton County firefighter Wayne Charles, who served as Freeport fire chief from 1993 to 2002.

Charles has questioned whether Greenslait's certification is current. He said he began looking into Greenslait's history with the department lat year.

"To work as a paid firefighter you have to have Firefighter II certification," Charles said. "According to my calculations, there was a 9 1/2-year gap between his last firefighter job and his Freeport job, but his information says he was allegedly here while I was the fire chief."

Greenslait, who has been fire chief since February 2008, said early Tuesday he was not aware of an investigation into his certification.

"There's nothing to know about," Greenslait said. "I didn't know I was being investigated."

He did not return additional calls for comment.

According to the complaint Charles sent to the Fire Marshal's Office on April 3, Greenslait was employed with South Walton Fire District from June 18, 1989, until his resignation Nov. 28, 1994. Charles claims Greenslait worked for several food establishments during a 10-year gap between paid firefighting jobs, causing his certification to lapse.

In Florida, firefighters who have not worked in the field for more than three years must take a state exam to be recertified, according to the Florida Department of Financial Services.

Cox said Tuesday that Greenslait first obtained his certification in 1989.

Freeport Mayor Mickey Marse said Tuesday that the Fire Marshal's Office has not notified him that Greenslait is not properly certified.

"My attorney told me not to go and talk to Wayne Charles 'cause I wanted to talk to him this morning and choke the living hell out of him," Marse said. "He is stirring crap as far as he can go. ... Why is he in my grits?

"As far as I'm concerned, nobody's notified me (of) anything. (Greenslait is) going to stay there until somebody tells me, 'Hey, you can't have him anymore.' I've just about had it with this (expletive)."

Copyright 2012 - Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach

McClatchy-Tribune News Service