Acton Select Board authorizes purchase of secured medication vaults after DEA distribution changes

Acton’s Fire Chief told the Select Board that changes in how narcotic medications are distributed to ambulance services will require local departments to obtain DEA registration and to procure certain controlled substances directly from vendors.

Chief Wayne Ham said Maine Health and similar distributors will stop providing some Schedule II, III and V drugs to ambulance services beginning July 14 and, in a second phase, will stop in October. The change means small departments may need to apply for DEA registration and install secure storage and strict tracking protocols.

Ham asked the Select Board to authorize the purchase of two secured medication vaults—one for the fire station and one for an ambulance—to meet new storage and access requirements. He presented pricing: two Knox-brand vaults would total just under $5,600, while comparable vaults from the town’s medical supplier were quoted at approximately $6,300 each. He described a sign-out and logging process limiting access to the chief and tracked by software currently used on town devices.

Select Board member Ed Walsh moved to authorize the Fire Chief to spend up to $6,000 for the medication security boxes; Tom McGurty seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

The board was told the DEA has 63 pending applications and that processing may be delayed, so departments should submit paperwork early. The Fire Chief said the department will also secure the room holding the vault with a four-digit pin lock and follow best-practice chain-of-custody procedures. The Town Administrator noted the department’s miscellaneous budget line could cover the expense.

Separately, the board accepted the resignation of Mary Casper effective June 28, 2026; the resignation was received by the Fire Chief and accepted with regret. No replacement action was taken at the meeting.