Stoneham Firefighters to Use Opiate Reversal Drug

The Stoneham Fire Department is now able to help save those suffering from opiate overdoses using the opiate reversal drug Narcan.

Stoneham firefighters were trained to use the drug and will be carrying it on the trucks when responding to drug overdoses.

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

There has been a significant increase in opiate overdoses in Stoneham, according to Stoneham Fire Department secretary Ann Burnham.

Stoneham and the surrounding communities are holding a regional dialogue on the growing opioid issues on Thursday, Oct. 23 at Reading Memorial High School.

Additional police and fire departments in Massachusetts have also received training in using Narcan. An opioid overdose patient was revived with Narcan by North Reading police officers on Saturday, Sept. 6.

Opioid overdose has become one of the leading causes of death in Massachusetts, and Governor Deval Patrick declared the issue a public health crisis in March.