ONONDAGA COUNTY, N.Y. — An Onondaga County paramedic training program that was shut down last month faced a number of violations, including possible fraud.
The program — a refresher course to maintain state ALS certification — was shuttered due to “deficiencies in our paperwork,” County Emergency Management Commissioner Kevin Wisely said at the time. But a Freedom of Information request by local media outlet CNY Central revealed a number of problems that included two paramedics passing the exam even though they weren’t present for it.
The “Statement of Deficiencies” also showed students evaluated other students, a session was held at Rural/Metro ambulance when the state had placed the provider’s paramedic program on probation, improper evaluators were used, and one evaluator was not state certified.
After the program was suspended, 35 paramedics were ordered to retake the Practical Skills Exam.