A firefighter’s helmet was also taken.
The report says the theft happened sometime between 12:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. on July 5. The sheriff’s office report doesn’t name a suspect, but does describe a suspect as a male with gray hair.
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This news organization reached out to Mad River Twp. fire leadership, but did not get a response.
The Ohio Board of Pharmacy sets out guidelines for how to secure the bags. Those guidelines are followed by the Greater Miami Valley EMS Council which oversees and coordinates EMS services and emergency room operations in 10 counties
Brian Leciejewski is Clark County’s representative to the council — he’s also a captain with the Springfield Fire Rescue Division.
Leciejewski said there are several layers of security for the bags.
For example, there is a blue tag on every section of the bag. When a drug is used, the EMT or paramedic must change out the blue tag to a red one and exchange the bag at Springfield Regional Medical Center or another local hospital, depending on the department.
Leciejewski said the tags are meticulously checked by staff on every shift before the medic unit goes out on a call.
“We report any even discrepancy in the drug bag that may be even the wrong pharmacy count,” Leciejewski said. “If something is just off by a little bit, it’s very serious.”
In addition to the tagging system, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy also mandates that all dangerous drugs must be kept in a tamper-resistant storage mechanism.
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In the case of Springfield’s fire department, their drug bags are kept in heavy storage containers with a combination lock — that only EMS personnel know the code.
It is not clear from the sheriff’s office report how someone was able to access the drugs at Mad River Twp. Fire & EMS.
Leciejewski said when there is a problem with one of the drug bags — or in the case of Mad River, stolen drugs — the department must report it to the EMS council.
The council will then decide what action needs to be taken.
If a controlled substance is stolen, then the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is also contacted.
Chief Deputy Jeff Meyer with the sheriff’s office said Monday afternoon that the incident is still under investigation.
The Springfield News-Sun has been dedicated to covering several stories about the Mad River Twp. Fire & EMS department. The New-Sun broke the story about the department hiring an employee with past sexual misconduct complaints, then continued to share news about a mass resignation within the department that followed and families who pulled their children out of the department’s cadet program.
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