KLAS-TV Channel 8 News Las VegasI-Team: Firefighter-Paramedic Drug Abuse Raises Questions
Alan Osborne, Deputy Fire Chief of Clark County Fire DepartmentThey are often called heroes, charged with saving property and protecting lives. But last week, a firefighter-paramedic was charged with stealing narcotics from emergency medical kits stored inside fire stations and ambulances.
The suspect told police he has been addicted to morphine since 2005. So the I-Team asked how someone could be addicted to drugs and go unnoticed within the fire department for so long.
Does the fire department have random drug testing? And if not -- why? Metro randomly tests officers and civilian staff throughout the year and again before someone moves into a specialized unit that handles illegal drugs.
So with narcotics like Morphine, Valium and Versed readily available to firefighter paramedics, we asked the fire chief if the Clark County Fire Department does the same.
Last week, Clark County faced the reality one of its own fire fighter-paramedics may have been high on the drug morphine while helping to put out fires and care for the injured.
"Safety is a huge concern for us. We're concerned about our own people as well as the public and obviously if you are impaired by alcohol or drugs, you're not working in a safe environment," said Alan Osborne, Deputy Fire Chief of Clark County Fire Department.
But the county fire department does not do random drug testing. Neither do the North Las Vegas, Las Vegas or Henderson fire departments.
Osborne says the idea has not been an issue with the county or the firefighter's union. Even after a member of the department admitted last week to stealing morphine for personal use.
"I don't think there's any reason why we wouldn't want to have it instituted. It's just a matter of weather or not we can get it through the collective bargaining agreement process," said Osborne.
Union officers say the problem lies with in the fourth amendment -- the right not to be subjected to an unreasonable search or seizure. But random drug testing is becoming more and more popular in larger cities.
San Francisco, Phoenix, Houston, Chicago, Baltimore and New York City fire departments all have random drug testing policies in place.
Boston is now considering the idea after confidential sources leaked jarring results from the autopsies of two fallen firefighters. One had traces of cocaine in his system -- the other was legally drunk, with a blood alcohol level of point two-seven. The men died last August while fighting a restaurant fire.
Osborne says the Clark County Fire Department's substance abuse policy encourages firefighters to admit they have a problem. If they step forward they can get help, without losing their job.
"We give them opportunities to come fourth and work toward a solution to their problem in a joint effort but if they choose not to do that, then we travel the other route with disciplinary action up to and including termination," said Osborne.
According to the arrest report, the Clark County firefighter-paramedic charged with burglarizing nearly a dozen fire houses and private ambulances admitted to police he had stolen Morphine and Valium to feed his addiction.
Sam Bond told police just last July his supervisor suspected he was stealing narcotics from the department's emergency response kits and put him on administrative leave.
But Clark County fire officials won't say if Bond's addiction to Morphine was ever recognized, or addressed within the department.
The new contract at the fire department doesn't expire until 2010, so if random drug testing did become an issue here, it wouldn't be addressed until then.
As for the departments around the country that already do random drug testing, some say very few firefighters have tested positive.
In one printed report, a fire chief indicated after a history of drug abuse problems at his department, the drug testing policy seems to act as a deterrent to drug use by his firefighters.
Email your comments to Investigative Reporter Adrienne Augustus.
