CARMEL, N.Y. – Members of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office are being trained in the use of a special drug that counteracts the effects of heroin overdoses, a potential lifesaver in emergency situations, Sheriff Donald B. Smith said this week.
Each sworn member of the department is receiving training in administering Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, which has the ability to reverse heroin effects within seconds and return an overdose victim to alertness, immediate sobriety, normal heart rates, and normal breathing.
Previously, only paramedics or physicians could administer it because it is a prescription drug. But because of the epidemic of opiate-related deaths in the county and elsewhere, first responders can now be trained to carry and administer the drug.
The Sheriff’s Office is the first law enforcement agency in the county to receive Narcan training.
Patrol deputies and emergency medical responders are often the first to reach overdose victims, Smith said.
“Many times the window of effectively using Narcan may only be a few minutes. Since law enforcement’s primary existence is to protect and save lives, common sense dictates that our deputies, investigators and corrections officers are trained and equipped with Narcan,” he said.
The training is being conducted by Thomas Lannon and Robert Cuomo, certified instructors from the Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services.