NEWS

Portsmouth police officer, firefighters treated for possible fentanyl exposure

Laura Damon
ldamon@newportri.com

PORTSMOUTH — A Portsmouth police officer and two firefighters experienced symptoms of exposure to fentanyl Sunday afternoon after responding to a reported overdose.

The Portsmouth Fire Department firefighters and police officer were transported to Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, Massachusetts; the firefighters were released on Sunday and the police officer returned to duty Monday morning.

At 1:05 p.m. Portsmouth police went to an East Main Road residence for the reported overdose of a 25-year-old Portsmouth man. The Portsmouth Fire Department was subsequently dispatched.

The man was taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. Portsmouth Detective Lt. Michael Arnold did not know the hospital the man was transported to nor his condition as of Monday. The Portsmouth Police confirmed that nobody will be prosecuted in regard to this incident, as is standard with overdose cases which are protected by the Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Act of 2016.

The Good Samaritan Act was originally passed in 2012 with a three-year sunset provision. According to the law: "A person who experiences a drug overdose or other drug-related medical emergency and is in need of medical assistance shall not be charged or prosecuted for any crime related to the possession of a controlled substance or drug paraphernalia, or the operation of a drug-involved premises, if the evidence for the charge was gained as a result of the overdose and the need for medical assistance."

The same rule applies for a person who seeks medical assistance for someone experiencing a drug overdose, according to the law.

"It's a law made to encourage people not to be afraid," Arnold said on Monday. "If your loved one is overdosing...you don't have to fear that you're going to be prosecuted."

During Sunday's response, the police officer on scene was alerted to a plastic bag in a trash can that may have contained narcotics. The officer observed a small bag of a white powder, which was believed to be fentanyl, in the trash and seized the substance to bring it back to the station.

“The officer did use protective gloves and did his best to package it with a double bag” Arnold said; he also wore a long-sleeve uniform. “We’re guessing it went airborne.”

About 30 minutes after arriving back at the police department, the officer started experiencing shortness of breath, sweating and disorientation.

"Evidently the material somehow became airborne inside the station," Portsmouth Police Chief Thomas Lee told the press at the new Portsmouth Police Department Monday. The substance was in the older police station; some personnel still work inside that building but many have already moved to the new station.

"I'm comfortable it's safe," Lee said on Monday of the older station. Arnold noted the building was quarantined until it was cleaned and the exposure had subsided. Arnold added that the 13th Civil Support Team, a National Guard entity, was notified.

"[T]hey are going to be providing us with information on how to dispose of the substance," Arnold said in an email on Monday.

Portsmouth Fire personnel tended to the officer because of the potential exposure to fentanyl. The two firefighters also became exposed and were experiencing similar medical problems.

The officer and firefighters were taken to Newport Hospital and the department was temporarily quarantined until the building was cleaned. The officer's cruiser also had to be decontaminated.

The officer returned to duty this morning and the two firefighters also have been released from the hospital.

"I cant say enough...our first responders risk their lives dealing with this stuff. We had three people in the hospital last night from Portsmouth," Lee said.

The substance was still in the Portsmouth Police Department, secured in a locker until they are able to properly dispose of it, as of Monday afternoon. The Portsmouth police contacted the National Guard 13th Civil Support Team in order to obtain information on how to properly dispose of the substance.

-Rachael Thatcher contributed to this report