The Hudson Firefighters Relief Association is rising from the ashes after members say more than $60,000 was stolen from the organization’s fund by their former chief.
A Channel 5 Investigates report that aired in November cited a police report that referenced missing money from the firefighters’ relief fund and a separate investigation over credit card purchases allegedly made by former Fire Chief John Blood – who was placed on administrative leave last April and later retired – and charged to the town.
The association’s members said Blood – who had been treasurer of the Hudson Firefighters Relief Association since 1998 – was the only person with access to the money. In 2001, there was more than $60,000 in the fund, but the report indicated that the account had been drained by December 2010.
However, the account’s depleted balance wasn’t discovered until April, right before Blood was placed on administrative leave, according to the Channel 5 report.