Lewes Fire Department could see its former fire chief Bill Buckaloo return.
The Delaware State Fire Commission is currently reviewing a Lewes Fire Department investigation into its former fire chief Bill Buckaloo, who made a derogatory comment in public last July.
The Department previously suspended Buckaloo in 2020 for using a slur on social media. He was elected again as chief in 2024.
State Fire Commission investigator Frank Fioravaniti said his team’s job is to make sure the Lewes Department followed its own bylaws in the investigation. They’re still waiting on the Department’s final report.
“And then it came out, what, a couple weeks ago that they may have not followed proper procedure…: Fioravaniti said. “Once we review it, if we determine, ‘hey, they really didn't do a very good, thorough investigation, they may have left some stuff out,’ we can open and do an independent investigation.”
Buckaloo resigned in July, but his suspension is over, which means he can return to the Department and run for leadership positions again.
Fioravaniti said he thinks the review could be concluded in a week if everything is in order. It could take several weeks if Commission staff have to look further into the investigation.
But Fioravaniti said the Commission can’t do much apart from make recommendations and pass their findings onto its legal department if they see evidence of misconduct.
“[Firefighters are] doing hard work, good work,” Fioravaniti said. “They're training. They're doing everything right. But then you got that small percentage, and they taint. They taint the profession, but without any type of program in place to hold those accountable, it's tough, you know?”
Fioravaniti added some Commission members hope to see changes in the system so the Commission can hold Fire Departments statewide accountable to their bylaws.
That’s been in the works for some time now. In an interview with Delaware Public Media in June, Fire Commission Executive Director Sherry Lambertson said she doesn’t want the Commission to walk away with unbridled authority.
“What we're looking for is the ability to – where we have current or past cases that law enforcement hasn't had the staffing or ability to assist – we then have to close cases because we don't have the ability to investigate on a criminal level,” Lambertson said.
The General Assembly’s Joint Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee heard the Fire Commission’s concerns but decided against moving forward in the previous legislative session. Its chair said the Committee wants to put a bill together that all parties involved – which includes the Commission and Fire Department staff and volunteers – can agree on.
