Oct 4, 2007 6:08 pm US/Eastern
I-Team: Firefighters Treated For Substance Abuse
by Kathy Curran
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
WBZ's I-team has discovered that hundreds of the 1,400 firefighters in Boston have been treated for substance abuse.
Firefighters Paul Cahill and Warren Payne died tragically responding to a fire in West Roxbury.
Now questions about illegal drugs and alcohol in their systems on the night of the blaze puts the spotlight on the issue of substance abuse in the department on the whole.
According to three years worth of data obtained by the I-team, in 2003, 232 firefighters were tested because of drug and alcohol issues.
In 2004, 219 firefighters were tested. In 2005, the number was 244, which was 16.2 percent of the department.
Lt. William Ostiguy is the head of Boston fire's empoyee assistance program.
"We have the same problems everybody else has," he said. "We try to help our members."
In January, firefighter Matthew McCaffrey was accused of being drunk behind the wheel after driving the wrong way on 495 and slamming into 2 cars. In 2006, Capt. James Berlo from Engine 18 was caught in an undercover sting after allegedly buying oxycontin in Hanover. Those charges were later dropped.
Both firefighters were off duty at the time of their arrests.
There's no blanket random testing for drugs and alcohol in the department. Only testing for pre-employment, recruits and firefighters with substance abuse problems.
Right now the deptartment has a two-strikes and your out policy. On the first offense, firefighters are suspended for 30 days and are required to enroll in the employee assistance program. On the second offense, they're fired.
"We base it on rehabilitation, not termination," Ostiguy said. "Those we can't help unfortunately are terminated."
Officials tell us Cahill and Payne never had any prior issues when it comes to drugs and alcohol in their years of service, but now there are questions about the night of their deaths.
"Tough time for all of us," Ostinguy said. "My heart goes out to the families."
Fire officials said they have about a 60 percent success rate when it comes to rehabilitation.
While Boston fire doesn't require annual drug testing, the Boston Police Department does. Testing takes place each year within months of the officer's birthday.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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