Reno Gazette-Journal
RENO, Nev. — The city of Reno is spending thousands of dollars sending firefighters to emergency medical certification training at out-of-state tourist destinations despite the fact the same training is offered in Northern Nevada.
One Reno firefighter, for example, spent a week this month on a cruise of the Mexican Riviera, submitting $1,322 in travel and training expenses to the city for reimbursement. According to the paperwork he submitted for the expense, the emergency medical technician training sessions occurred while the ship was at sea, allowing the firefighter to “enjoy all of your port days” in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta.
The training was offered by the EMS Training Center of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas. An attempt to contact the firefighter for comment on Wednesday was not successful. According to documents obtained by the Reno Gazette-Journal, four firefighters also spent a week in Priest Lake, Idaho for the same type of training earlier this year. They each were reimbursed $1,200, the city’s travel expense cap. Under that city policy, firefighters cannot be reimbursed more than that for travel.
Full story: Reno firefighter bills Reno for Mexican cruise