Bad news in Blanco County

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You really hate to see this anywhere, but especially in a rural county

without a hospital...

-Wes

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES

Blanco EMS could lose license over drug allegations

Director is suspected of stealing narcotic; criminal investigation is under

way.

By _Molly Bloom_

(http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/02/27/mailto:mbloom@st\

atesman.com)

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

The state intends to revoke the license of the nonprofit Blanco Volunteer

Ambulance Corps because the head of the Blanco County emergency medical service

provider is suspected of stealing narcotics from the corps, according to

documents filed with the state health department this month.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has already issued an emergency

suspension order for the paramedic license of Blanco Volunteer Ambulance

Corps Director Mark McMain, 47, one of two full-time paid corps employees. The

order said the suspension came after learning that McMain, who could not be

reached for comment Tuesday, had " misappropriated fentanyl approximately 237

times from his employer " since October 2006.

Under state law, McMain may not staff an ambulance or act as a paramedic

while his license is suspended. McMain has requested a hearing on the

suspension, health department spokesman Doug McBride said.

On Feb. 15, the state health department told the corps, which provides

emergency medical services to the southern half of Blanco County, that it

intended

to revoke the corps' license because it failed to prevent the alleged thefts

of the narcotic and failed to " take appropriate action " to prevent future

drug thefts.

The ambulance corps' board of directors has 15 days to request a hearing.

The board will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m. today at its headquarters, 607

Chandler St. in Blanco, to discuss the future of the corps.

The state also intends to revoke the paramedic license of the corps' other

full-time paid paramedic, S. Armstead, 45,. The state is accusing

Armstead, who also could not be reached Tuesday, of helping McMain steal the

drugs

or failing to prevent the thefts, according to a notification letter.

Armstead may also request a hearing on the proposal to revoke her license.

McMain and Armstead both serve on the corps' board.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the criminal

case against McMain, state officials said. State EMS compliance manager Brett

Hart said investigators don't believe McMain was selling the drugs on the

street but declined to discuss the specifics. McMain has not been charged with

a

crime. The Blanco County sheriff's office is conducting a separate, criminal

investigation into McMain unrelated to the state's investigation, county

officials said.

Tuesday, Jerry Myane, president of Blanco County Emergency Services District

No. 2, which contracts with the Blanco Volunteer Ambulance Corps, said that

he hoped the corps would be able to make changes in its internal practices

that would allow it to keep its license.

Dissolving the corps would be a mistake, Myane said. " As far as the service

they provide, they're excellent. "

If the corps' license was revoked, the emergency services district would

contract with another company to provide emergency medical services, Myane

said.

Tim Vasquez, director of North Blanco County EMS, the emergency service

provider for the northern half of the county, said his group hadn't been

formally

approached about stepping in.

If the group were to take on the 400-square-mile area, it would need to hire

more employees, Vasquez said.

Corps volunteer Lou Ann Mullins said Tuesday that she was " totally surprised "

at the accusations against McMain. McMain was a " very good paramedic " who

" knows his stuff, " she said.

" I don't think any of the corps members had any inkling that there was

anything that wasn't above board, " she said of the accusations. " I would

appreciate the opportunity to work with my fellow members to maintain the

service for

the community. "

mbloom@...;

Fentanyl

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opiate similar to but more potent than

morphine, according to the National Institutes of Health Web site. Fentanyl is a

Schedule II prescription drug whose use and distribution is tightly controlled

because of its potential for abuse. It is typically used by emergency

medical workers to treat patients with severe pain as they are taken to a

hospital.

Blanco Volunteer Ambulance Corps

Nonprofit was founded in 1974 and is staffed by about 25 workers, most of

whom are volunteers.

Serves about 3,500 residents in an area of about 400 square miles.

Funded by a property tax of 6 cents per $100 of value levied on property

owners in Blanco County Emergency Services District No. 2.

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