New investigation into irregularities in the fire brigade of Muncie

Muncie, Ind. – 13 Investigates has learned that Muncie Firefighters and EMTs have to withdraw a CPR training class after more controversy about the training and education processes of the department.

Allegations of the improper CPR training appeared in an e -mail from 13News at the end of February.

The email from three high-ranking members of the Muncie Fire Department claims to receive the latest CPR training for dozens of Muncie EMTS and firefighters. [American Heart Association]. In fact, the recertification process was so outrageous that we are forced to report this to the state of Indiana. “

The e -mail was sent to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, and both IDHS and the American Heart Association confirmed for 13News that they started to investigate the claims immediately. The concern was also shared with Muncie Fire Chief Dan Burford, which asked the department to temporarily suspend training at MFD.

Officials from IDHS and the office of the state of EMS were in Muncie on Wednesday to meet the fire chief. After its meeting with Burford, the Muncie fire brigade now requires its members to recapture the CPR course and pass a proper exam in order to become new in CPR according to an IDHS spokesman. The state agency will also send its training director to monitor the Muncie CPR training to ensure that it is carried out correctly.

Indiana Firefighters and EMTS must receive CPR recertification every two years as part of their further training requirements.

The communication director of the city of Muncie sent 13 investigations in the name of the fire brigade and the mayor, which points out that they take the allegations of improper CPR training seriously and carry out studies.

“While parts of the investigation are complete, it remains an ongoing process,” wrote Burford in his explanation. “The Department of Homeland Security has checked the situation and confirmed that certification courses can be resumed. In addition, you have undertaken to provide support and surveillance if necessary in order to ensure continued security and well -being both of our staff and the community we serve. “

Both Burford and the Mayor of Muncie, Dan Ridenour, refused to answer questions and be interviewed by 13News.

With 13 examinations, the American Heart Association announced that there could be consequences for CPR training courses that are not in the organization's guidelines.

“In the event that an instructor does not offer any training courses that meet the American Heart Association course standards, we can offer the instructor for the remedial measure, use your instructor certificate or revoke your trainer certificate,” said Tim Harms, Communication Director of American Heart Association.

Questions about the CPR training of the Munich fire brigade comes from, since the department is still involved with a continued controversy about Muncie Emts and firefighters who cheat on other certification examinations.

An ISDH examination showed that Muncie fire brigade captain Troy Dulaney orchestrated by communicating EMT recruits that they should share actual test questions and answers from their national certification tests -a strict violation of the examination rules -so that he could pass on the information to future test participants. The state investigation also came to the conclusion that the captain had shared test questions with firefighters and EMTS before they passed certification tests.

An administrative judge later decided that the state was unable to prove some of its most important claims against Dulaney, and recommended that the long -standing Muncie firefighter to be recommended more striking sanctions and not to be punished with a permanent revocation of his EMT and fire brigade certificates. Dulaney, who almost two years after 13 examinations in the paid administrative