MORONGO BASIN AMBULANCE PARAMEDIC SUSPECTED OF USING FENTANYL

A paramedic was terminated Monday after he tested positive on a drug test for Fentanyl. Two weeks ago, the operations supervisor of Morongo Basin Ambulance in Joshua Tree realized that sometime between August 11 and August 26, 39 vials of Fentanyl had been used, an unusually high number for such a short time period. It’s not known now how many vials the paramedic may have used, as some were used for patients, four were broken and immediately reported, and one was missing from inventory. Fentanyl is an opiate that is up to 100 times stronger than morphine, but it can be detected in urine up to 24 hours after use. The operations supervisor notified the Sheriff’s Department, began an investigation, placed one paramedic on administrative leave with pay, and ordered drug tests for all paramedics who had been in ambulances where fentanyl had been used. Four paramedics tested clear; however, the paramedic who was on administrative leave, Kent Weiss, tested positive, and he was fired Monday. The Sheriff’s investigation is ongoing.