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Nov. 22--An internal investigation has concluded that Baltimore Fire Department recruits did not cheat on an exam, but it found at least one instructor negligent for distributing copies of scenarios ahead of a test administered in June.
City officials released a redacted version of the final investigative report dealing with department's Emergency Medical Services on Tuesday. The investigation began several months ago after questions were raised by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, a state accrediting agency.
The report concludes that the students had been well versed in all the medical and trauma scenarios that were part of the test. They did not know which scenario they were to be tested on, and the investigators concluded that the distribution did not create an unfair advantage to any one student.
But the report says that investigators did not necessarily believe the instructor, whose name was not divulged, that the distribution was inadvertent. The investigation found that the instructor had the packets containing the scenarios copied, with the word "confidential" removed.
The report recommends that instructor face discipline and be charged administratively with incompetence and negligence in the performance of duty.
The report does say that fire officials should make it clear to the citizens of Baltimore that investigators believe no recruit cheated, but in an "abundance of caution," all the recruits were retested before being allowed to treat patients.
