BELLINGHAM — A state agency has opened a complaint to see if an investigation is warranted in connection with officers of the Bellingham Fire Department leading a training session on a deceased patient in July.
The Bellingham Herald reports The Washington State Department of Health’s Office of Investigation and Inspection will assess the incident to see if it warrants investigation.
State officials say if an investigation is conducted and finds sufficient evidence of wrongdoing, those involved may be charged with unprofessional conduct.
The city of Bellingham announced Monday that an officer with the fire department retired and another officer resigned following an investigation into the incident.
That investigation revealed that a deceased patient was taken by ambulance to a fire station to await a pickup by a funeral home and that department staff practiced multiple intubations on the body.
