Pittsburgh Firefighter Will Keep Job After On-Duty Overdose

Jan. 12--A Pittsburgh firefighter who overdosed while on duty in a Brookline fire station has entered a drug addiction rehabilitation program, Mayor Bill Peduto said Thursday.

Pittsburgh police and city paramedics responded about 6:30 a.m. Dec. 31 to the Station 26 firehouse on Brookline Boulevard. The firefighter was revived through administration of Narcan, a medication that reverses a drug overdose, Peduto said.

"When you have an addiction to something that's a strong drug, it doesn't know what your on and off hours are," Peduto said. "Your body is craving it at every point of the day."

Peduto would not name the firefighter, citing federal privacy laws. He said the firefighter has two children and would be given an opportunity to return to work after finishing treatment. He would not confirm what drug the firefighter had taken.

Narcan is commonly used to reverse heroin overdoses, but it also is used to counteract other opioids such as methadone, morphine and opium.

"We have an epidemic that's going on right now in this region that's greater than the 1980s cocaine epidemic and the 1990s crack epidemic combined," the mayor said. "People who are getting hooked on pills are turning to heroin because of the financial implications of not being able to afford the pills any longer. Whether it's a firefighter or somebody who's working in personnel, we're going to work with them to help them and their family get their lives back on track."

He said an Allegheny County assistant district attorney on duty the night of the overdose decided against filing charges against the firefighter, citing Pennsylvania's "good Samaritan" law regarding overdoses.

Mike Manko, spokesman for District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr., said the firefighter won't be charged.

"Our office received the reports concerning this overdose late yesterday afternoon and, in reviewing those reports, determined that this overdose does fall under Pennsylvania's Good Samaritan law," Manko said. "It is the policy of this office when using that law not to charge the victim of a non-fatal overdose and not to charge those who report the overdose provided they stay with the victim until medical help arrives. That was the case with this overdose, and no charges will be filed."

City firefighters are subject to random urine testing to detect the presence of alcohol and illegal drugs, according to their union contract.

Pittsburgh implemented random drug testing in 2011 in response to a number of firefighters who were charged with DUI, drug possession and public intoxication.

The city can order a firefighter to undergo hair testing based on a "reasonable suspicion" from an identified source that they've been using drugs. The firefighter is placed on administrative leave until test results return, according to the contract.

A failed test results in a 10-day suspension without pay.

The firefighter must be evaluated by a substance-abuse professional and comply with any recommended treatment.

A second violation results in immediate termination.

Bob Bauder is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-765-2312 or bbauder@tribweb.com.

___ (c)2017 The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Greensburg, Pa.) Visit The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Greensburg, Pa.) at www.triblive.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.