The lawsuit says district leaders knew about harassment in the firehouse but failed to stop it for years.
FERNDALE, Wash. — A former Whatcom County Fire District No. 7 firefighter/EMT alleges in a federal lawsuit that district leaders allowed years of sexual harassment in the firehouse and retaliated against her after she reported it.
Sheena Radder filed the lawsuit Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington and names Whatcom County Fire District No. 7, a public fire and emergency medical services agency based in Ferndale.
Radder worked for the district from 2007 to 2024, according to the lawsuit.
She started as a volunteer firefighter/EMT and became a career firefighter/EMT in 2014.
The complaint says she was promoted to acting captain in 2020 after earning strong reviews and the trust of colleagues and supervisors.
The lawsuit alleges Radder was sexually harassed for more than a decade by supervisors and coworkers in a workplace where women were excluded from leadership.
The complaint says the district employed only three female firefighters in nearly 20 years and had no women in leadership during Radder’s 17 years there.
Radder alleges the harassment included her bra being taken from her private work locker and hung in the firehouse, male coworkers watching her exercise, unwanted sexual comments, coworkers rating the appearance of female employees, and a firefighter trying to kiss her without consent.
The complaint says some of the conduct happened in shared areas of the firehouse and in front of supervisors.
Radder alleges district leaders either knew or should have known what was happening but did not take meaningful action to stop it.
Radder formally reported the harassment in 2023, according to the lawsuit. The complaint says an assistant chief told her he was “only going to deal with this once” and said she was making “big accusations.”
After she reported the harassment, Radder says the district retaliated against her by denying her a promotion, transferring her to another station, isolating her, removing her from acting captain shifts and threatening discipline.
The lawsuit says the district eventually opened an investigation that took more than 10 months.
According to the complaint, the investigation found that two managers had harassed Radder.
Radder alleges the district did not take meaningful action after those findings.
The complaint says one person was barred from serving as acting captain for 45 days, then promoted to full captain after that period ended. Another was allowed to retire early with full honors, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also claims the district sent Radder to a life coach after the investigation.
The complaint says the coach told Radder she needed to “assimilate into the culture” of the firehouse and “be happy” while doing so.
Radder resigned in April 2024 and took a job at a neighboring fire district, according to the lawsuit.
She alleges the harassment and retaliation caused emotional harm, damaged her reputation and forced her to leave a career she had built over nearly 17 years.
The lawsuit brings claims of retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Radder also plans to add claims under the Washington Law Against Discrimination and Washington’s Silenced No More Act, according to the complaint.
Radder is seeking damages for lost wages, emotional harm, legal fees and other relief. The lawsuit also asks for changes to ensure future district employees have a workplace free from sexual harassment and retaliation.
KING 5 News has reached out to District 7 Fire Chief Ben Boyko, and fire commissioners Eric Grant, Kendra Cristelli, and Mike Murphy for comment.
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