Wednesday, January 31st 2018, 5:52 pm
The Logan County Sheriff’s Office is often the first on scene during a medical call. This includes drug overdoses, something deputies have seen grow over the years. The Sheriff’s Office is now trying to combat the opioid epidemic by supplying Narcan as a tool for every deputy.
It’s been less than two months since deputies started carrying Narcan, but the drug has already been used on a prescription overdose incident.
Whether it’s an accidental overdose or substance abuse, Narcan can reverse an opioid-class drug within minutes.
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“Within about six to eight minutes,” said Dr. Bill Worden, "the brain, with lack of oxygen, can die." He knows a few minutes can make all the difference in saving someone’s life. He is an emergency physician and a Logan County Reserve Deputy Sheriff. Dr. Worden has seen overdoses in the field and at the hospital.
“It gives somebody a second chance,” he said of Narcan.
Not only is this a tool for patients, but it is also a safety feature for law enforcement.
“It could be used on an officer,” said Dr. Worden. "It can also be used on K9’s if a dog is doing a search and accidentally sniffs a powdered drug. Dogs can succumb to opioids as well and this medication could be used to wake up a K9."
The Logan County Sheriff’s Office receives the Narcan through a grant by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. They want anyone with an opioid problem to text NALOXONE to 55155 for help or visit TakeAsPrescribed.org.
January 31st, 2018
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