NYS prisons resuming visitations amid investigation into possible exposures

Attica, N.Y. (WHAM) — All New York state prisons are resuming visitations this weekend, but new restrictions have been made following several calls for possible exposures to unknown substances last week.

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Attica Fire Chief Stephan Bove said his department was called a combined seven times to Attica Correctional Facility and Wyoming Correctional Facility last week.

"As soon as the strike ended, that's when all the exposures kind of started to happen," Bove said. "If we were to get called for any sort of drug kind of contact, it's mainly the prisons. I mean, we don't really get called for any other drug overdoses around. I would have to really look back in our records to even see if we actually had anything in the village or the town."

According to a timeline provided by the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, emergency services were called to the Attica, Wyoming and Cape Vincent state prisons after dozens of prison staff and inmates suffered possible exposures.

On Sunday, March 16, at Attica Correctional Facility, an incarcerated individual was acting suspiciously and was subsequently searched by pat frisk. Staff found paper on the individual and he was admitted to the facility infirmary due to his suspicious behavior. Additionally, three correction officers who were involved in the incident reported feeling light-headed, dizzy, and one began vomiting. All three officers were taken to an outside hospital for further testing.

A few hours later, two incarcerated individuals were observed by National Guardsmen to be laying on the ground. Medical staff was called and the incarcerated individuals were brought down to the infirmary where a facility nurse administered Narcan to both of the individuals. Both were subsequently transported to an outside hospital. A Sergeant and a Nurse involved in the incident began feeling nauseous and dizzy, and were transported via ambulance to an outside hospital.

On Wednesday, March 19, a staff person at Attica Correctional Facility, opened an envelope that contained a powder that spilled out. The employee became ill and the facility immediately followed protocols by isolating the scene and notifying State Police, EMTs and local HAZMAT. The staff person and a nurse were transported to an outside hospital.

Between March 19th and March 20th at Cape Vincent Correctional Facility, 3 Incarcerated Individuals, 1 Registered Nurse, 1 Correction Officer, and 1 Sergeant were administered Narcan after possible exposures to unknown substances. The individuals were transported to outside hospitals for further assessment, and several staff members returned to duty.

At around 5:00pm on March 20th at Wyoming Correctional Facility, 2 Correction Officers experienced lightheadedness and vomiting after escorting an Incarcerated Individual, who appeared to be highly intoxicated, to the facility infirmary. Shortly after, 3 additional Correction Officers experienced lightheadedness and elevated blood pressure. After being evaluated by facility medical staff, the Incarcerated Individual and all 5 Officers were transported to outside hospitals for further evaluation. None of the Officers remained on duty, and they have all been medically discharged.

On Thursday, March 20 at Attica Correctional Facility, an OMH Nurse was conducting rounds when a smell in the area left him feeling light-headed and nauseous. As a precaution, he was sent out via ambulance to an outside hospital for further evaluation.

On March 21st at Attica Correctional Facility, 6 Incarcerated Individuals fell ill. One individual required Narcan and was transported to an outside hospital. The other 5 individuals remain in the facility infirmary. Additionally, 8 security staff began experiencing similar symptoms and were transported to outside hospitals.

James Miller, director of public relations for the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, said with visitations now resuming across the state, many officers are worried about safety.

"Some (have) dizziness, blurry vision. In a couple of instances, officers, as well as a couple of the nurses, had to be Narcaned," Miller said. "You don't know what you're necessarily dealing with. It could be deadly. You just don't know. They're concerned. And it's not just Attica and Wyoming. There were a number of incidents at Upstate, Mid-State, so it's not just one facility. It's going on statewide."

New restrictions for this weekend's visitations:

Effective March 22, DOCCS introduced a more robust security screening process for visitors, requiring all visitors to pass through a body image scanner in order to participate in a full-contact visit. If a visitor declines being scanned by the body image scanner, they will be processed in accordance with Directive #4403 for a non-contact visit only. This includes passing through a metal detector and/or scanning with a hand wand. Refusal to comply with the body scan or the alternate search procedure will result in the visitor not being permitted to enter the correctional facility on that specific day. If the visitor declines the body image scanner but is successfully cleared for entry through the alternative security process, they will be approved for a non-contact visit on that day.

Non-contact visits will be limited to two (2) visitors with a maximum duration of two (2) hours.

No physical embrace will be authorized at the beginning or conclusion of a non-contact visit.

Physical partitions will be in place that prevent physical contact between the incarcerated individual and the visitor.

No cross visiting will be authorized.

The non-contact limitation will apply only to the single day the visitor declined the body image scanning.

Individuals who are pregnant will not be subject to the scanning. In those cases, they will be searched by an alternative method and not be subjected to any form of harassment, intimidation or disciplinary action. If cleared by the alternative method, they will be provided a contact visit. If not cleared by the alternative method, the Superintendent shall either limit to a non-contact visit or deny the visit for the day.

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