SAYRE, PA (WENY) -- The Bradford County Coroners Office issued a statement on Facebook saying they're awaiting two toxicology reports for two suspected users they believe are highly probable to have Carfentanil. 

     For Carfentanil to be lethal, all it takes is a few granules the size of table salt.

     With the possibility of Carfentanil in the area, it could pose a danger to first responders.

     "One of the biggest dangers that we face is coming into contact with it ourselves," said Greater Valley Emergency Medical Services Chief, Derrick Hall. "It is absorbed dermally, so that is if we get it on our skin our responder could be exposed and could experience those overdose symptoms just the same as a patient would that has been exposed to the Carfentanil."
     
     Local first responders are now taking precautions to protect themselves.

     "The biggest thing that we've taken away from the Carfentanil overdoses across the nation is just a heightened sense of awareness," said Hall. "We're very keenly aware of our scene safety, our situational awareness when we're responding to an incident like this. There's been a number of cases around the country where responders have come into contact with the substance, so that in turn leads us to be a lot more cautious when we're on the scene."

     Officials from Greater Valley EMS say Carfentanil is more potent than morphine or fentanyl, and is less responsive to narcan. Causing the state of Pennsylvania to step up and take action.

     "Pennsylvania recently revised our treatment protocols for this in 2016 and 2017 to allow us larger initial doses and also more repeat doses of narcan administration just to counteract some of these higher potency drugs that we're encountering," said Hall.

     So whether Carfentanil has made its way to our area, first responders are ready to answer the call.