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Nine employees at Fishkill Correctional Facility in Fishkill were hospitalized after being exposed to an unknown substance on Monday (September 15). The incident occurred when five inmates appeared intoxicated and refused to follow directions. According to the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, correction officers and security staff began showing symptoms consistent with fentanyl exposure, although the exact substance has not been confirmed. One officer required Narcan treatment.
Ambulances and hazmat teams from Castle Point, Hyde Park, Pleasant Valley, and Orange County responded to the scene, with medics from Putnam County on standby. The situation was exacerbated by a staffing shortage, with only one officer for every 50 inmates instead of the recommended one for every 30. A female officer's distress call prompted an urgent response from all available officers.
The five inmates involved were examined and remained at the facility. Mid Hudson News reported that the incident led to heightened security measures and concerns about drug exposure in prisons.
This incident is part of a broader issue affecting correctional facilities in New York, with similar events reported at other locations. WCAX highlighted previous cases where staff were hospitalized due to exposure to unknown substances, believed to be synthetic drugs. Union officials have called for increased safety measures to prevent drug-related incidents in prisons.