Five Indicted in Massachusetts EMT Fraud

BOSTON – Five men, including two from Greater Lowell, have been indicted by a Suffolk County grand jury, accused of providing fraudulent recertification of emergency medical technicians.

Thomas Codair, 49, of Cambridge, an EMT instructor, has been charged with four counts of aiding and abetting others to evade requirements of the state Office of Emergency Services, and three counts of conspiracy to commit those violations.

The indictments handed down on Thursday also accuse the top executives of LifeLine Ambulance in Woburn: company President Brian Connor, 49, of Arlington; Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Kulis, 37, of Wilmington; and vice presidents Michael McPherson, 38, of Billerica, and Brian O’Connor 39, of Woburn.

Each is charged with one count of aiding others to evade state requirements, and one count of conspiracy to commit those violations.

The state alleges that Codair taught four refresher training courses from 2006 to 2009, and allowed EMTs to sign course rosters without attending the course. Codair then allegedly submitted the rosters to the state, falsely certifying all signers’ attendance at those courses, allowing those EMTs to qualify for recertification.

Authorities also allege that Connor, Kulis, McPherson and O’Connor each signed attendance rosters for a 2007 refresher course without having attended any of the classes. Codair then allegedly submitted the rosters to OEMS for credit.

The indictments are the third in an ongoing investigation into fraudulent EMT recertification. As part of the investigation, five people, including two who were formerly employed by Lowell-based Trinity EMS at its Haverhill office, has been indicted on charges they falsified training records.

Upstate NY Weighs New Ambulance; Will It Help or Hurt?

In a contentious public forum Tuesday night, Northstar Health Alliance proposed launching a new ambulance service to transport patients between medical facilities.

OH Gunman Kills One, Injures Five in Industrial Park

A gunman shot six people in a New Albany commercial building Tuesday, killing one person and injuring five others. The city said police responded at…