Claim of Paden v. Dix Hills Fire District

Claimant, a volunteer fireman, was injured while putting up Christmas decorations in the firehouse of the appellant Dix Hills Fire District.

There is evidence both that it was the custom of the district to decorate the firehouse inside and outside at the Christmas season; and that claimant was working at the direction of the fire chief. The secretary of the appellant district testified that it has “ been a practice in the past ten years since the existence of our fire department to decorate the firehouse for this season ”.

Although the testimony with reference to the directions given to…