By Dave Statter
dstatter@wusa9.com
STATter 911 — http://www.statter911.com
WUSA9 — http://www.wusa9.com

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — Friday was described as a routine day inside the paramedic office at the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department's Station 847. Things suddenly changed when one of the medics discovered something behind the torn fabric of an office chair. According to sources close to the investigation, the medics pulled out a plastic bag containing as many as 9 pieces of crack cocaine.

Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department Chief Spokesman Mark Brady said police and the medic's supervisors were immediately contacted. According to Brady a police dog trained in identifying drugs went through the fire station on Fort Washington Road and found no other indication of illegal drugs inside the building.

Brady told STATter 911, "We have no reason to believe, at this point, anybody inside that firehouse is involved".

The firehouse is owned by Prince George's County and has a staff made up of career firefighters with limited volunteer participation. Brady said that some of the firefighters and medics voluntarily submitted to drug screening. Brady pointed out that no disciplinary action has been taken against any member of the department due to this incident.

Brady indicated that it was possible the drugs were in the chair when it was brought to the fire station. He said that fire department furniture comes from a variety of sources and investigators are trying to determine the origin of the chair.

The Prince George's County Police Department is leading the investigation.

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Since 1972 Dave Statter has covered the news. A good deal of Dave's reporting has focused on how fire and emergency medical services are delivered in and around Washington and Baltimore. Along the way, Dave was also a volunteer firefighter, an emergency dispatcher and a cardiac rescue technician.