Four first responders injured by fentanyl exposure during Bronson, FL drug overdose call
Photo of fentanyl courtesy of LCSO.
Bronson (Levy County), Florida - Two Levy County deputies, a corporal and a patrol deputy, along with two members of the Levy County Department of Public Safety, a firefighter paramedic and a firefighter emergency medical technician, were injured on Wednesday, August 17, 2022, around 8:00 p.m., when exposed to the deadly drug fentanyl while responding to an overdose call in Bronson. All four of the first responders required advanced medical treatment at a local hospital and are expected to make a full recovery.
Law enforcement and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel responded to 9790 NE 92 Place, east of Bronson, due to a report of female suffering from an overdose. This is the 28th response to this same address for various law enforcement matters since 2014, according to Lt. Scott Tummond, with the LCSO. Deputies and EMS personnel were treating the patient when one deputy was overcome by fentanyl exposure and passed out. EMS personnel immediately went to his aid and administered Narcan to the deputy to resuscitate him. Shortly thereafter, the second deputy and both EMS personnel began suffering from a fentanyl exposure. All four affected first responders required transportation to a local hospital for treatment and observation. One of the EMS first responders was exposed to the drug by simply removing his protective equipment after the affected individuals had been transported to the hospital for medical care. Four EMS vehicles and multiple law enforcement personnel responded to this chaotic emergency scene.
"Two Levy County first responder vehicles now require expert decontamination before they can be put back into service, which is a great cost to Levy County taxpayers," said Lt. Tummond. "Fentanyl, a deadly synthetic sedative 50-100 times stronger than morphine and heroin, is toxic to humans, and even in minute doses is known to cause death. A person does not need to inject, smoke or inhale the drug to be affected. A minuscule amount, light enough to become airborne, that comes into contact with a person’s skin can cause an overdose. Fentanyl has grown in popularity amongst drug addicts because of its potency and how readily available it has become. Each time EMS or law enforcement is called to overdose cases, they are at great risk of a deadly exposure."
According to the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration), fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that was developed for the pain management of cancer patients in the form of a skin patch. Because of its powerful opioid properties, fentanyl is abused, often added to heroin to increase its potency, or disguised as heroin or placed into illegally created but authentic-appearing pills in deadly amounts, so that many users do not know that they are purchasing fentanyl - which frequently results in overdose deaths. Clandestinely produced fentanyl is primarily manufactured in Mexico.