KLAS-TV Channel 8 News Las VegasFire Chief Says Security Protocols Tightened After Firefighter-Paramedic's Arrest
Fire Chief Steve Smith says not only have they had safety procedures in place to secure narcotics; there are procedures in place to help paramedics who may have an addiction.
A police report indicates firefighter-paramedic Sam Bond may have been able to gain access to half a dozen medical kits containing controlled substances because he knew access codes and had keys to several different fire stations.
Bond is now on administrative leave without pay and is charged with 22 felony counts for a dozen burglaries of fire stations and ambulances.The Clark County Fire Department admits there may has been a breakdown in security protocol that enabled one of their own to go on stealing narcotics undetected for a while.
The Channel 8 I-Team has obtained a response from the fire chief about the arrest of that firefighter-paramedic.
The chief would not talk specifically about allegations that one of his firefighter-paramedics stole morphine, Valium, and a sedative called Versed. He did say security has been tightened and paramedics have been given additional training.
Along with adding security features on the boxes that store the drugs, fire officials also say keypad combinations and remote control frequencies to doors at fire stations have been changed.
A police report indicates firefighter-paramedic Sam Bond may have been able to gain access to half a dozen medical kits containing controlled substances because he knew access codes and had keys to several different fire stations.
He is now on administrative leave without pay and is charged with 22 felony counts for a dozen burglaries of fire stations and ambulances.
Fire Chief Steve Smith says not only have they had safety procedures in place to secure narcotics; there are procedures in place to help paramedics who may have an addiction. Paramedics have an agreement with the fire department that allows them to ask for help, if they have a problem.
Fire Chief Smith said, "We encourage anybody at any time that they feel that they might have a dependency of any type, and we'll make sure they get the proper treatment."
According to the arrest report, Sam Bond told a supervisor he had an addiction problem. Although the chief would not say if that was true, he did say the procedure in place allows a firefighter or paramedic to ask a supervisor for help and get treatment without being penalized by the fire department.
The fire department has replaced its entire narcotic supply and strengthened the way they are secured. But as one fire official put it, you can turn your facility into Fort Knox but if people have the combination to the door, it's no longer Fort Knox.
Paramedics are supposed to count and sign for the number of drugs being stored at the end of each shift. Apparently, in at least one case, that had not been done. That kept the fire department from knowing exactly how much had been stolen.
E-mail your comments to Investigative Reporter Adrienne Augustus.
