Braintree Public Schools to Carry Narcan

A life-saving drug used to stop heroin overdose will now be kept in every public school in Braintree.

Monday night, the school committee voted unanimously to allow school nurses to carry and administer Narcan, a well-known drug that reverses the effects of an overdose.

“This is an unfortunate motion to consider, but it is a necessary one,” School committee Chairman David Ringius said.

According to Ringius, Braintree is now the 76th school district in Massachusetts to carry Narcan, reflecting the reality that has become the opioid crisis.

“I think the importance of this discussion tonight is to recognize although it is sad, it is the reality. I’m going to support this in the hope that we’ll never use it,” Mayor Joseph Sullivan said.

Interim School Nursing Director Laurie Melchionda told the committee that the school nurses are trained and authorized by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to administer Narcan. Two doses will be kept in the nurse’ office of each school in a locked medicine cabinet.

Committee member Cyril Chafe asked if any other school official could administer Narcan if a nurse was unavailable, but Melchionda said only the nurses are authorized by the department of public health to take such action.

In Braintree, public safety officials have had to use Narcan 54 times in 2015, resulting in 51 lives saved.