Carroll County board authorizes purchase of logged med vaults for ambulances

The Carroll County Board of Supervisors voted to authorize the purchase of lockable medication vaults for county ambulances, citing the need for better accountability for controlled substances.

Presenter Jamie Weer told the board the system uses a small transport vault for ambulances plus a larger station vault that stores controlled substances and links to existing software. "It logs every time that thing is open," Jamie said, describing options for RFID/fob or a four-digit PIN so staff can review access records and narrow any later investigation to particular users.

Weer said the vaults are designed to be mounted in ambulances so the vault cannot simply be grabbed, and that some vendors include RFID tracking inside the cabinet itself. The county received a donation of $1,500 toward the purchase from a local entity that approached staff because of the new state regulations requiring stricter controls, Weer said.

Board members asked how the new vaults differ from the current makeshift metal drug boxes and about training and badge issuance. Weer said the vaults will add audit trails and med checks every time the unit is accessed. Funding for the purchase will come from unspent budget lines at fiscal-year end, staff confirmed.

A motion to authorize purchasing the med-vault units was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote.

Next steps: staff will complete procurement and coordinate installation and training, and will report back to the board if any implementation questions arise.