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BIRMINGHAM, AL – Jefferson County Sheriff 's deputies are now equipped with a nasal form of naloxone for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose. Naloxone, better known under the brand name Narcan, is an intranasal drug used to counteract the effects of an opioid overdose.
As part of ongoing efforts to combat the death of opioids in Jefferson County, Sheriff Mike Hale has equipped the deputies with this drug. In 2017, Jefferson County recorded 202 deaths from an overdose of heroin and fentanyl. Having members with naloxone should help reduce those numbers.
Deputy ministers are often the first to arrive at the scene of an overdose and can now take steps to save a victim's life. Three lives have already been saved by a deputy with naloxone. (For more updates on this story and free alerts in your neighborhood, sign up for the Patch Morning newsletter for your area.)
Deputy Ministers began training on the use of naloxone at the end of September and began transporting it as soon as they were trained. The day a deputy received training and started following her, he was able to use it to save the life of a man who had a heroin overdose.
The deputy minister was charged with investigating the report of an insensitive man in a pickup truck in western Jefferson County. The MP responded with the Bagley Fire Department. Once on the scene, he met a male subject with the effects of an opioid overdose. Although the paramedics were on site, they did not have naloxone. The member gave his naloxone paramedics who were able to administer and revive the victim.
Last Saturday, MPs were summoned to the 6700 block at Hickory Trail in northeastern Jefferson County to investigate a report that two adult women had had a simultaneous overdose. While they were en route, the caller reported that one of the women had started CPR. The deputy ministers arrived and found that the two women were not answering. The member administered naloxone, which was immediately effective. The women were taken to a local hospital for further treatment.
Accidental exposure to fentanyl during searches of suspects and vehicles is another source of concern for law enforcement. Fentanyl is a potent opioid that is produced both in pharmacies and in illegal clandestine laboratories. It is a hundred times more powerful than morphine. It can be introduced into the body by inhalation or by direct contact with the skin, unknown to the exposed person. MPs conducting research may be exposed to the drug without knowing it. The transport of naloxone provides protection against these types of exposure.
"We are doing everything in our power to combat these types of deaths, the numbers are down, but this drug is still breaking the hearts of families across the country," Hale said. "In our jails, we have partnered with the UAB to help inmates break the cycle of drug abuse, and inmates wanting to be part of the program receive a promising new treatment to combat their opioid addiction, as well as post-release counseling and support We have stepped up our enforcement efforts, sued drug companies, organized a strong media campaign to raise awareness about the dangers, and empowered our MPs with this medical device. lives will be saved through this global effort. "
Image via Shutterstock
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