COMCOR 21.02.02 Local and Non-Local Travel Guidelines for the Fire and Rescue Corporations

To establish the procedure for reimbursement of expenses incurred by fire and rescue personnel while on local and non-local travel necessary to perform authorized fire and rescue corporation or County business.

This regulation applies to all volunteer fire, rescue, and emergency medical service personnel of the independent fire and rescue Corporations in Montgomery County, employees of the Corporations, and employees of the Department of Fire and Rescue Services traveling on behalf of a Corporation. The guidelines as outlined in this regulation apply to reimbursement for expenses from Fire Tax District funds budgeted to the independent fire and rescue corporations.

If a court of final appeal holds that any part of this regulation is invalid, that ruling does not affect the validity of other parts of the regulation.

This regulation is effective 30 days after Council adoption or 90 days after Council receipt if the Council takes no action within 60 days of receipt.

I, ________________________________________, understand that a urine screen for the presence of drugs, administered by the Montgomery County Occupational Medical Section, is a condition of my volunteer service. I further understand that the results of this urine screen will be released only to me and the Montgomery County Medical Examiner, and will be used solely to complete my application for volunteer service. The results of this screen will not be disclosed without my written consent to another person or agency for any other purpose, including any administrative, civil, or criminal proceeding.

I, _________________________________________, have been informed that ___________

______________________________________, located at __________________________________

__________________, is the certified laboratory which will perform drug testing on my urine specimen

collected on _______________________ in the Occupational Medical Section. I understand that I have the right to request independent testing of the same specimen at my own expense at another certified laboratory if my urine specimen tests positive for drugs or alcohol.

_________________________________________ ________________________________

Applicant Date

1. The applicant must submit a signed Notification Form prior to testing. A copy of the form will be given to the applicant and the original will be placed in the individual's medical file.

2. The applicant's identity will be accurately established by examination of a driver's license or other valid photo identification whenever possible. Both the photo and signature of the individual should be compared. A copy of the photo identification will be dated, initialed by an OMS staff person, and placed in the applicant's medical file. If no photo identification is available, identification by a corporation representative may be substituted.

3. The applicant must provide a medication history which includes any over-the-counter drugs, sleeping medication, tranquilizers, pain medication, allergy and cold medications, and muscle relaxants taken within the last 30 days.

4. The applicant must provide a dietary history which covers the previous few days.

5. The medical attendant must explain the collection procedure to the applicant.

6. The laboratory provides sealed urine containers to the OMS for drug screening. The medical attendant must check the container in the presence of the applicant to ensure that it is clean and has not been tampered with.

7. The medical attendant must open the container in the presence of the applicant and hand the open container to the individual as the applicant enters the bathroom. The bathroom is private and located within the clinic.

8. The applicant may not take a coat, Jacket, purse, bag, etc. into the bathroom.

9. Upon exiting the bathroom, the applicant must hand the specimen directly to the medical attendant waiting outside the bathroom door.

10. The medical attendant must ensure that the sample is kept in visual sight of both the applicant and the medical attendant.

11. The specific gravity and pH of the sample will be determined immediately in the applicant's presence. If the specific gravity is 1.000 or less or if the specific gravity is 1.030 or greater, the specimen must be discarded and another specimen will be collected under direct observation. If the pH is 5.0 or less or if the pH is 8.5 or greater, the specimen must be discarded and another specimen will be collected under direct observation.

12. If direct observation of the urine collection is required, a medical attendant of the same sex must be present in the bathroom.

13. In the presence of the applicant, the medical attendant must immediately write the date and the applicant's name on the white label of the container and place a “CONFIDENTIAL” tape across the container's cap.

14. The applicant must immediately initial the white label on the container and the “CONFIDENTIAL” tape on the cap. The medical attendant must inform the applicant prior to initialing that initialing the specimen is the applicant's acknowledgment of ownership of the specimen.

15. The laboratory requisition form must be completed in the presence of the applicant. The applicant must check the accuracy of the identifying information. The name of the applicant must be identical on both the requisition and the specimen bottle. The applicant must initial the requisition form.

16. The requisition form must be accurately completed with the following information:

1) name of the applicant;

2) whether the specimen collected was observed;

3) whether the specimen was received directly from the applicant;

4) the drug test profile number;

5) the specimen collection date and time; and

6) the signature of the person responsible for collecting, handling, storing or packaging the specimen at the collection site.

17. The original laboratory requisition must be wrapped around the specimen container and both will be sealed in a security bag provided by the laboratory. A copy of the requisition must be placed in an outside pocket on the same bag and sealed. A second copy will be placed in the applicant's medical file.

18. The sample must be stored in the OMS clinic refrigerator until picked up by the laboratory courier. The refrigerator is located in a secured area which is visible to the staff at all times.

19. Specimens will be picked up daily by the laboratory courier. If a specimen is collected after the daily pickup, the specimen must be secured under lock and key.

20. Both the courier and an OMS staff member must sign off in a log book attesting to an unbroken seal of the security bag.

1. The laboratory must send confirmed positive test reports to the Medical Examiner. The report will include the results of both the initial screening test and the confirmation test. The laboratory's toxicologist must send a confidential letter to the Medical Examiner certifying the accuracy and reliability of the confirmed positive test results and adherence to chain of custody procedures.

2. The Medical Examiner must inform the applicant of a confirmed positive test result. The applicant will have the opportunity to discuss the test results with the Medical Examiner.

3. The Medical Examiner will review the applicant's medical and dietary history to learn whether a medication or food substance may have created a false positive result. If the physician suspects a false positive result, the applicant may submit additional information about medication and a dietary history, or submit to another drug screen.

4. If the applicant has a confirmed positive drug test result, the Medical Examiner will provide a copy of the laboratory report to the applicant within 30 days of the date of the test.

5. If an applicant has a confirmed positive drug test result and the individual has indicated on the test notification form a desire for retesting at another laboratory, the OMS will notify the laboratories involved. The first laboratory is responsible for transporting the specimen to the second laboratory while maintaining chain of custody procedures. The second laboratory will send a report of retesting and documentation of chain of custody to the Medical Examiner with a copy provided to the applicant.

6. The Medical Examiner may advise the applicant of counseling and rehabilitation resources.

Below is a partial listing of certified laboratories authorized to perform job-related drug screening. The cost of drug screening with confirmation of positive results varies and may cost $150 or more. If the applicant selects a laboratory which is not listed, he or she will be required to provide documentation of current State and Federal certification to perform drug screening.

METPATH, INC.

1 Malcolm Avenue

Teterboro, NJ 07608

National Center for Forensic Science

Maryland Medical Laboratory

1901 Sulphur Spring Road

Baltimore, MD 21227

American Medical Labs., Inc.

11090 Main Street

Fairfax, VA 22030

Compuchem Laboratories, Inc.

P.O. Box 12652

3308 Chapel Hill Nelson Hwy

Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

Roche Biomedical Laboratories, Inc.

1447 York Court

Burlington, NC 27218

SmithKline Bio-science Laboratories

11425 Cronhill Road

Owings Mills, MD 21117