A West Pierce firefighter is accused of stealing various prescription drugs from ambulances and replacing it with saline to support his addiction. The 42-year-old paramedic was arrested Thursday and booked into Pierce County Jail on suspicion of unlawful possession of a controlled substance. He is expected to appear in court Friday. “There’s a lot of mixed emotions right now in our department,” Chief Jim Sharp said. “You don’t expect this from one of your co-workers. We’re in a position where we hire trustworthy people and you entrust them with a lot of things. We’re frustrated and saddened.”