By Erin Smith
The Lowell Sun
BOSTON — The state revoked the licenses of 211 EMTs after an investigation revealed they held falsified training records. The EMTs, who work for 10 private and 14 municipal ambulance services across the state, face license revocations ranging from 45 days to nine months, according to state officials.
The state permanently revoked the EMT-Paramedic certification permanently for EMT instructors Mark Culleton, of Billerica, and Leo Nault, who was employed by Lowell-based Trinity EMS Inc. Trinity EMS President confirmed that Nault was previously fired once Chemaly discovered that Nault was being investigated by the state.
Culleton is a Lexington firefighter who operated an EMT training certification business, called Life Saving Maneuvers, which was based out of his Billerica home at 17 Wildbrook Road.
State officials allege both instructors failed to conduct required EMT refresher training courses, falsified training documentation and in some cases, received money from EMTs in exchange for the false records.
Officials at the Department of Public Health have referred the matter to the state’s Attorney General’s Office.
The suspensions will go into effect on July 1 to allow ambulance services time to find replacements to maintain emergency services. Individual EMTs have the right to appeal any suspensions to the Division of Administrative Law Appeals, state officials said.
State officials said private ambulance services and municipalities who employ the suspended EMTs could take their own disciplinary actions and several EMTs have been terminated since the allegations came to light.
“The vast majority of Massachusetts’ 24,000 EMTs are properly certified and in compliance with required training,” said Dr. JudyAnn Bigby, state secretary of health and human services, in a released statement. “But the conduct of these individuals is in violation of regulations meant to protect the public’s health and safety. The sanctions are appropriate given the serious nature of the offenses.”
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