In an emergency called meeting Wednesday, the Jeb Stuart Rescue Squad’s board of directors voted to affirm a Monday decision, effectively continuing the unpaid leave of a part-time employee.
Alex McNabb was a part-time employee at the squad until he was placed on immediate and unpaid administrative leave Monday.
That decision came on the heels of a Saturday story published by “The Huffington Post.”
The story stated that the Virginia Office of EMS, a division of Virginia’s Department of Health launched an investigation of McNabb following an anonymous complaint that was filed on November 26, 2018.
The story also alleged that McNabb, 35, is “a white supremist podcaster” and a frequent co-host of “The Daily Shoah,” which the article alleged is “a popular neo-Nazi podcast.”
Monday marked the first business day after the story surfaced.
Squad leaders said the leave was pending the investigation.
The squad has since learned that two additional complaints also were filed, according to a release.
At the board meeting Wednesday, the squad “heard from the public at large and also from some squad members,” said Wren Williams, of Schneider & Williams, P.C. and the squad’s attorney.
The board and others attending the emergency meeting discussed the various ramifications of the events that had transpired earlier, Williams said.
“Some said pleasant things about Mr. McNabb,” he said, adding there also were some negative comments.
“Others said they were proud of” Derek Wagner, the squad’s captain, and the changes Wagner has implemented, and that they “are praying for us,” Williams said. Many of those speakers encouraged Wagner “to keep on keeping on, and said they were just curious about what’s been going on.”
The board then met in executive session, he said. Upon their return to open session, the board upheld Monday’s decision.
McNabb will remain on unpaid administrative leave pending the conclusion of the state investigation Williams said.
On Dec. 11, a formal notice of unpaid leave was hand-delivered to McNabb. The document was signed by Wagner. It directed McNabb to not go to the squad, to not respond to emergency calls and to not engage in any further activity that would negatively impact the squad.
“If the investigation indicates that disciplinary action is warranted, up to and including termination, we reserve the right to take further corrective action” during the leave, the notice stated.
Marian Hunter, a public relations coordinator for the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Emergency Medical Services, has said that because the investigation is open and ongoing, additional details are not available.
The investigation is estimated to take 60 days.
