Crestwood Cop Saves Overdosing Man's Life With Narcan

CRESTWOOD, IL -- Crestwood police employed their first use of naloxone, an antidote used to reverse opioid overdoses after receiving training last year. Each Crestwood office carries a kit, which contains multiple doses of naloxone, which is more commonly known by its brand name Narcan.

Opioids, including heroin, prescription pain pills like morphine, codeine, oxycodone, methadone and Vicodin, can slow a person’s breathing and eventually cause death. When administered, Narcan restores breathing within two to five minutes, preventing brain injury and death. The antidote is sometimes referred to as the "Lazarus" drug.

On June 22, Crestwood police officers were dispatched with the fire department to the 5500 block of Crestwood Drive for a possible heroin overdose. The first officer found two people attempting to revive a man who was unconscious. One of the people told the officer that the man had used heroin. The officer recognized the man’s condition consistent with an opioid overdose. The man was unresponsive and his breathing was shallow and labored.

The officer deployed his Narcon field kit and administered the first dose. When there was no response he administered a second dose. The man quickly became responsive and started talking to police and answered questions appropriately. He was taken to Palos Community Hospital.

This is the first actual use of Narcan being administered by a Crestwood police officer.