Police Get Narcan Training, Aim to End Heroin Deaths

CREST HAVEN – At the Public Safety Training Center, Cape May County Prosecutor Robert Taylor began Narcan training with a story. He told more than 65 police officers about a recent incident at a grocery store.
Taylor said he met a county resident who spoke to him about the treatment of drug addicts. “He told me that we should let them all die. I respectfully disagreed,” Taylor said. And because Taylor disagreed, he was 100 percent on board with the presentation by Dr. Ken Lavelle of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital on the administration of the heroin antidote Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan.
Lavelle, described himself as “an Ocean City boy,” is also medical director for several police, fire and emergency services departments in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Lavelle explained the difference between how emergency services are organized in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In Pennsylvania, the EMS is organized by counties whereas in the Garden State the EMS is hospital based. “This means more units in Pennsylvania but with less experience. In New Jersey, our emergency services are second to none,” Lavelle said.
Lavelle used a PowerPoint presentation to explain how various opioids work and how Narcan counteracts their effects. He explained that heroin has duration of about six hours and Naloxone’s duration is about 30 to 90 minutes. Naloxone is not a cure for opioid addiction. It is a temporary emergency measure to save the life of someone who has overdosed.
The individual should immediately go to the hospital for a follow-up and get into a rehabilitation program. The antidote can be administered in three ways: intravenous, intramuscular and intranasal. Officers were being trained to use it intranasal (through the nose). It is the safest way because there is no exposure to blood-borne diseases.
The law, which Gov. Chris Christie signed, is known as the Overdose Protection Act. It is an attempt to address the heroin epidemic ravaging the state and nation.
The act provides immunity for third parties who take action to save the life of an overdosed person, including calling 911. It is not without its detractors, such as the one Taylor met at the grocery store. Pilot programs were run in Monmouth and Ocean counties. It is going statewide.
“In another couple of weeks July 4 will be upon us,” Taylor said. “There may be cases of overdosing. Our highest duty is saving people’s lives,” he reminded the law enforcement community. Capt. Paul Skill and Detective Aaron Sykes joined him in this.
Lavelle assured attendees that if they are incorrect in their assessment that the unconsciousness is due to a drug overdose and not a diabetic episode or cardiac arrest, the drug will have no effect. It takes two to three minutes to work. The county has purchased 40 kits at $20 per kit. Lavelle demonstrated the care and use of the kit. It was in four steps.
Lavelle told the Herald that he did not think the availability of the drug would give addicts “a false sense of security.” He explained that this was not the way addicts think.
Heroin has exploded in the past five years because “it is so cheap.” It is also a side effect of doctors tightening up on writing prescriptions for painkillers such as oxycodone and fentanyl. Lavelle said the use of Narcan will soon be the “standard of care.” He said that last year in Ocean County there were 100 to 120 deaths from overdoses. Narcan will save lives, maybe long enough for us to find a long term solution to this scourge that affects every level and class of our society.
To contact Helen McCaffrey, email hmccaffrey@cmcherald.com.