'Bully' no longer employed at Fire Service after 22-month investigation

One of the country's most recognised firemen is no longer working for the Fire Service 22 months after investigations started into accusations he bullied a female firefighter.

Mike McEnaney​, a senior fire investigator then based in central Auckland, was stood down in November 2015.

It's understood he was kept on full pay while the Fire Service investigated.

The woman laid the complaint outlining several allegations under the Protected Disclosure Act 2000, in October 2015.

NZH Focus understands most of her claims were not upheld by a draft independent investigation, but others, including being yelled at and called an idiot, were found to be true.

"The investigation process in respect of Mr McEnaney has now been concluded, and Mr McEnaney's employment with Fire and Emergency New Zealand had been brought to an end," a letter to the complainant, dated July 26, 2017, reads.

It cites privacy as reason for not giving details behind the decision.

McEnaney said he wouldn't comment on the bullying claims and the end to his contract at the Fire Service.

​McEnaney was the the former president of the National Firefighters Union, and a senior station officer at Mangawhai, where 15 volunteers left over a two-year period.

The female firefighter, who doesn't want to be named, said it was unacceptable that the investigation took 22 months and it had taken a major toll on her health.

"It's been too long and that's what has caused my complex post traumatic stress disorder.

"I've been hospitalised twice, three attempts of suicide. I have been diagnosed with complex post traumatic stress, situational depression, anxiety. And none of this can be resolved until the issue's resolved."

Despite everything, she wants to continue working for the Fire Service but has been pleading for two years to be moved for safety reasons to a station outside of Auckland.

Allan Halse from Culture Safe New Zealand, who's advocating for the woman, said there was some relief hearing the investigation was finally over, but it should never have taken so long.

"The investigation from our perspective, our client had been interviewed. That had all happened by December and tidied up in January 2016.

"And I believe it was pretty straight forward. I don't believe it should've lasted more than three months beyond that."

Halse says they're trying to get hold of the final report - and looking to file a complaint with the Human Rights Commission. ​