Medford EMT Trainer Admits to Role in Fraud Scheme

A Medford man pleaded guilty Friday to charges stemming from allowing emergency medical responders to avoid training by signing off on courses they didn't attend, according to the state's Attorney General.

Thomas Codair, 50, is described by prosecutors as the "central figure" in a widespread scheme that allowed emergency medical technicians to sign in on course rosters for state-required "refresher" training courses but not attend, according to a press release from Attorney General Martha Coakley.

Codair was given a 2 and 1/2 year suspended sentence, one year of probation and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine by a Suffolk County Superior Court judge Friday, the release said. He pleaded guilty to charges including issuing false statements and conspiracy.

A former EMT for Armstrong Ambulance, Codair taught the refresher courses in the Medford Police Department's training building -- the police department did not offer the courses -- from 2006 to 2009, prosecutors said. But he did not require trainee's to attend the course to get recertified, prosecutors said.

"Codair permitted EMTs to sign course rosters without attending the course," the press release said. "Codair then submitted the rosters to (the Office of Emergency Medical Services), falsely certifying all signers’ attendance at those courses, thus enabling the signers to qualify for recertification.

The refresher course is based on national standards and covers basic medical care for first responders. Emergency Medical Technicians are required to take the refresher course every two years. Depending on the level of their certification, it is either 24 hours or 48 hours of training, the press release said.

Prosecutors have also charged four medical responders who received recertification in Codair's course in 2007 even though they did not attend, the press release said.

The charges against Codair are part of an investigation by Coakley's office into emergency responder training fraud that dates back to 2008 that includes a list of over a dozen indictments and convictions, including high-ranking police and fire officials in other communities.