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Firefighter says injury caused her to get fired

By Nefertiti Jaquez
By Nefertiti Jaquez

ATLANTA — Sylvana Davis has wanted to be a firefighter for years. So she was elated when she graduated from recruit school in September.

"It was a dream I wanted to accomplish," Davis told Channel 2's Nefertiti Jaquez.

But just months later, she was handed a pink slip from her boss.

Sylvana Davis has wanted to be a firefighter for years. 

"They just left me out here. I don't have nothing. How am I going to get my shoulder fixed? I mean, I can't even work even if I wanted to."

It all started on Sept. 6. Davis said she was still training to become a Fulton County firefighter and was injured while performing one of the drills.

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"I felt the sharp pain. So I stopped what I was doing and immediately reported it to a training officer – and he advised me to be tough," Davis said.

While physically hurt, she admits she toughed it out because she needed her job to support her family.

Davis graduated weeks later and was placed in Firehouse Station 7.

On Nov. 23, her station was called to help put out a fire, but in the process, Davis told Jaquez, she re-injured her right shoulder.

"I was hurt, because I did what I was supposed to do. So how can you leave me out here without any medical treatment?" Davis said.

Davis' attorney, Frank Burn, said his client was floored when the department extended her probationary period four months beyond the original Dec. 28 date.

On Jan. 31, she was handed a termination letter because she “abandoned her position” for more than five workdays, but said they would keep her if she returned two days later with medical clearance.

"Someone gets injured, they denied the case. They call controvert. They then delay the case and then they fire 'em," Burns told Jaquez.

Jaquez contacted Fulton County officials Wednesday and they responded by saying, "Fulton County Government is unable to comment on personnel matters."

Davis, who’s a mother of four including a child who has special needs, said she doesn’t know what she will do next.

“How do I get penalized for doing my part? I don’t get it. I just don’t,” Davis said.

Cox Media Group

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