Newtown Police, EMT Save Resident of Overdose with Narcan

NEWTOWN, CT-- A Newtown police officer and an EMT saved a resident's life using Narcan, according to Newtown Police Chief Viadero.

Officer Pirahla was dispatched to Dodgingtown Road in Newtown for a potential drug overdose and performed CPR on the resident, police said. Soon after, Newtown EMT arrived on scene and administered Narcan, saving them from an overdose, according to Chief Viadero.

The incident is the first Narcan save in Newtown, Viadero said.

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Narcan, also known as Naloxone Hydrochloride, can immediately reverse the effects of opioid overdoses such as heroin, Oxycontin, Percocet, Percodan and hydrocodone drugs such as Vicodin.

In 2014, Gov. Dannel Malloy signed signed legislation granting civil and criminal liability protection to bystanders who administer Narcan in good faith to someone who has overdosed.

"Training and equipping our Troopers, Police Officers, Firefighters and other first responders with Narcan is the next common-sense step in our efforts to reduce overdoses resulting from heroin and prescription drug overdoses," Malloy said in a statement.

All Connecticut State Police Troopers are now trained to administer Narcan to help save lives by reversing the effects of overdosing on opioids and are now equipped with the medication.

Related:

• CT State Troopers Now Trained to Use Narcan on Heroin, Oxycodone Overdoses
• Heroin Killing Connecticut Residents At An Alarming Rate

Image via flickr creative commons. Credit: PunchingJudy