Firefighter’s Antarctic Dream Shattered by Scandal: Caught Faking Medical Records!
A firefighter’s icy mission to Antarctica turned into a heated scandal after he was busted for forging medical documents to join the dangerous expedition! 🌐 #News #HoustonTX #Texas #Crime
HOUSTON, TX – A 30-year-old firefighter has been sentenced to a year of probation and was ordered to submit to monitoring after being convicted of forging medical documents in order to work in Antarctica, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas said Tuesday.
Brandon Mikula pleaded guilty in April of last year to attempting to circumvent the National Science Foundation’s required medical screening process for those hoping to work in Antarctica, one of the harshest environments on the planet.
“Antarctica is the highest, driest and coldest continent on earth. Average winter temperatures at dip below -75 degrees Fahrenheit. Medical evacuations from NSF’s Antarctica facilities, in those harsh conditions, could take days or weeks in the winter,” U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani said in a statement.
“As a firefighter at the Antarctic Fire Department, Mikula would have been responsible for the daily safety of those occupying NSF’s stations. While Mr. Mikula’s misconduct may at first blush seem minor, his misconduct had the potential to end in tragedy for him and for others. That’s why my office will work with agency partners like the NSF to ensure that any efforts to circumvent their requirements or deceive the public will result in accountability,” Hamdani said.
The NSF’s Office of Polar Programs supports Arctic and Antarctic research, and the agency operates McMurdo Station, Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station and Palmer Station in Antarctica.
Firefighters in the U.S. Antarctic Program’s Antarctic Fire Department respond to all emergencies including fire, rescue, emergency medical services, hazmat and other emergency situations. On Antarctic bases, every structure is considered critical.
In 2022, an NSF contractor hired Mikula to work as a firefighter in Antarctica. As part of a rigorous medical and psychological screening process, Mikula had to submit documentation to the University of Texas Medical Branch. In August of 2022, UTMB and NSF staff concluded Mikula was not physically qualified to work in Antarctica.
In an effort to reverse that decision, Mikula submitted false information, including a forged physician’s letter he faxed to UTMB. He also submitted other false documents, and “sent harassing emails to UTMB and NSF officials,” prosecutors said.
“It is imperative that federal contractors are fully qualified to perform critical functions, especially in Antarctica’s extremely remote and harsh environment.” said Allison Lerner, NSF Inspector General.
“The NSF – Office of Inspector General (OIG) is committed to vigorously pursuing oversight of the U.S. Antarctic Program, and I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its strong support in this effort.”
Reminder: All parties are considered innocent before proven guilty. Written by TMX staff, with additional reporting by Jack and Kitty Norton.
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