Gwinnett Police Prevent Heroin Overdose

BUFORD, GA -- Gwinnett County Police say officers may have saved the life of a potential heroin overdose victim by administering an antidote for the drug.

Police were dispatched at noon Wednesday to a “person down” call in Buford, according to a news release. They arrived to find a female lying on the ground unconscious. Her hands and lips were turning blue and breathing was becoming shallow, according to the release.

As officers examined the victim, she stopped breathing, police said.

While administering CPR, officers were told the victim had recently checked out of rehab for heroin abuse. The decisions was then made to administer Narcan, an antidote to opiates like heroin, morphine, codeine and oxycodone.

When the Narcan was administered, the woman became responsive and, by the time paramedics arrived, she had strong vital signs before being transported to an area hospital.

Gwinnett Police say Wednesday was the fourth time in less than a year that a potential overdose victim was saved by the use of the antidote.

They were equipped with Narcan in May of last year. Currently, 70 units of the antidote are ready for deployment in Gwinnett.