Fire Department Used Dead Body For Training Without Family’s Consent

A fire department in Washington state has suspended multiple employees after an investigation revealed that they used a dead body for medical training without getting permission from the family. The incident occurred in July after a body was brought to Bellingham Fire Department’s Fire Station 1, where it was supposed to be picked up and transported to a funeral home.

While the body was waiting to be taken, the firefighters decided to use it to practice a medical procedure known as intubation.

“In early August, I first learned of an incident at Bellingham Fire Department Station 1 during which department personnel successively performed a medical procedure, endotracheal intubation, on a deceased person,” Bellingham Fire Chief Bill Newbold told The Bellingham Herald. “This incident was neither normal nor acceptable.”

Following the investigation, two firefighters retired, while an unknown number of employees faced suspensions or received a letter in their file, depending on their role in the incident.

“These actions stand to violate the trust between our department and the community we serve, which we have earned through over a century of exemplary service,” Newbold said. “Going forward, the firefighters, paramedics, and staff of the Bellingham Fire Department will continue to work hard in service to our community.”