Good morning, Washington. You know, we were all set to write some mean-spirited things about Britney Spears’ show last night at the Verizon Center (did anybody go?), but sometimes the morning headlines simply refuse to cooperate. So instead: all emergency service department mistakes, all the time!

Montgomery Fire Official Had Been Drinking Prior to Crash: The Post has obtained a confidential report showing that a senior Montgomery County fire department official had alcohol in his system three hours after he crashed a county vehicle. Gregory J. DeHaven was returning from a Redskins game at which he served as an honor guard when he sideswiped one car and crashed into two others, totalling the SUV he was driving and causing at least $10,000 in additional damage. DeHaven is objecting to his dismissal and claims that his breathalyzer test results were entered improperly, but he seems to acknowledge that he made a mistake.

Audit Finds Ambulance Fees Missing: The Examiner brings word that, according to an IG report issued yesterday, the city has failed to collect over $60 million in delinquent ambulance fees. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services had no policy in place for collecting unpaid fees from ambulance users who refused to pay, allowing the fees to accumulate over eight years. Chief Dennis Rubin acknowledged the oversight, but says that private insurer and Medicaid policies make it unlikely that the city will be able to collect all of the unpaid money even if it hires a collection agency.

Review Finds Paramedic Did Not Follow Procedure: Also from the Post, it appears that a firefighter did not perform his duties properly when he diagnosed Edward Givens’ chest pain as a digestive problem, leading Givens to decline hospitalization and die hours later. The firefighter appears to have misread a diagnostic test and may not have spent as much time performing the diagnosis as is normally considered necessary. Department Chief Dennis Rubin has referred the case to the D.C. Inspector General.

Head-on Collision Between Taxicab, MPD Cruiser: There aren’t yet many details available, but NBC4 is reporting that a city police cruiser crashed into a parked taxicab last night just west of Meridian Hill Park. The officer driving was taken to an area hospital — no word yet on what might’ve caused the collision.

Briefly Noted: Kaine announces preservation of Fredericksburg battlefield… Gas leak in N.E. repaired… Obama nominates Marisa Demeo and Florence Pan to D.C. Superior Court… Vigil held for murdered mother & sons… Md. delegate introduces legislation calling on state to study medical marijuana…

This Day In DCist: One year ago DCPS had to rehire eleven people it had just fired.

Image posted to DCist Photos by Flickr user lovedc