Firefighter loses job for alleged tantrum

10/1/2004

Former Toledo firefighter Timothy Ciboro allegedly screamed for a discount on ice cream.

And it cost him his job.

The 41-year-old was terminated this week after he allegedly demanded a 50 percent discount on ice cream for a female friend at a South Toledo ice cream stand during the summer.

Mr. Ciboro - who fire administrators said was appointed in July, 1993, and was fired in 2000 because of a residency issue but reinstated a year later - can appeal the decision.

"His conduct was considered to be completely inappropriate," Deputy Chief Bob Metzger said.

According to administrative charges, Mr. Ciboro was off duty and in uniform when he went to the Lickety Split stand on Glendale Avenue near the Anthony Wayne Trail at the end of June and ordered an ice cream for himself and his friend.

As has been the custom of the business, the clerk took 50 percent off the price of Mr. Ciboro's ice cream because he was a uniformed firefighter.

But when he was told his friend's ice cream would be full price, "he reportedly became very loud and abusive toward the clerk," the charges state.

They said Mr. Ciboro called attention to the fact that he was a city firefighter and demanded his friend receive the courtesy discount. He made statements implying he knew members of a nearby fire station and that he would talk to them about no longer patronizing the stand if he wasn't given the discount.

The charges said Mr. Ciboro demanded the name and phone number of the manager and loudly asserted he would contact management with his complaint if he didn't receive the discount. The incident upset the clerk.

Jim Martin, president of Toledo Firefighters Local 92, did not return calls for comment.

Mr. Ciboro was charged with discourteous or abuse authority when dealing with the public, conduct unbecoming, and violating city policies.

He was in limited duty when the incident occurred. He was not assigned to emergency response responsibilities, Chief Metzger said.

Fire administrators said Mr. Ciboro has had various prior disciplinary issues.

Chief Metzger said Mr. Ciboro initially was denied employment because of something that came up during his background check. He fought the decision, won, and was hired, the chief said.

The ice cream stand is not owned by firefighters. Chief Metzger said the fire administration does not solicit courtesy discounts for any of its employees on duty or off duty.

However, he said, there are businesses that extend courtesies to uniformed firefighters who patronize them.

Contact Christina Hall at:

chall@theblade.com

or 419-724-6007.