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In this week’s Inside EMS Podcast, hosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson discuss two recent stories about narcotic thefts. A former Seattle paramedic pled not guilty to stealing drugs after his partner suspected he might be drunk, then found morphine vials that appeared to be tampered with.
And in Delaware, a paramedic faces 29 felony charges alleging he took the painkillers fentanyl and hydromrphone, which were intended for patients.
“I’m all for medics getting help,” Grayson said. “But buddy, if you get caught before getting help, I have no sympathy for you.”
They also encourage EMS professionals to comment on The Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services first draft of its new Ground Vehicle Standard. The deadline for public comment is Monday, Dec. 1.
“They want people’s feedback,” Cebollero said. “This is the time for you, the EMS provider, to give opinions on what those standards should look like. I’ve got to think this is a step in the right direction.”
The standards cover everything from lighting, to paint schemes to having forward facing seats, Grayson said.
He agreed it’s a good idea, but also questioned whether having the CAAS, KKK and NFPA standards offer too many options.
“I do wonder, however, if too many cooks don’t spoil the soup,” Grayson said.
In the clinical issue, the discuss Ferguson, and the effect it’s having on many EMTs who are literally watching their community go up in flames.
“The thing that affects them the most is they consider this their neighborhood,” Cebollero said.
Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned on the show:
