By FireRescue1 Staff
BUCKS COUNTY, Pa. — Three paramedics and a firefighter were hospitalized after being exposed to carfentanil while treating a patient in an ambulance.
Newtown Patch reported that the responders were exposed to the extremely potent form of heroin while responding to a cardiac arrest call.
Newtown Ambulance Squad Chief of Operations Evan Resnikoff shared a letter on social media that said the carfentanil is believed to have come from the patient’s arm and interior of the vehicle.
“While there is much disagreement within the medical community that transdermal contact can cause exposure to first responders, there have been a growing number of reports nationwide that lead us to believe our personnel on this incident experienced such an exposure,” Chief Resnikoff said.
All four responders have been discharged from the hospital and have fully recovered.
https://www.facebook.com/NewtownAmbulanceSquad/posts/1943974342547989