East Brunswick Rescue Squad Has Its First Narcan Rescue, Saving Woman From Drug Overdose In Car

The East Brunswick Rescue Squad had its first Narcan save which occurred last weekend, rescuing a woman who was overdosing while slumped in her car.

East Brunswick Police, South River Police along with the East Brunswick Rescue Squad responded to a 911 call of an unresponsive woman in a local business parking lot on Old Bridge Turnpike. Officers found the woman slumped over the wheel in a parked car unresponsive with very shallow breathing.

The East Brunswick Rescue Squad arrived and crew members 1st Lieutenant AJ Steinhart, EMT Matt Ackerman, 3rd EMT Alana Barouch and Cadet Yun-Yu Liu immediately took over patient care.

The crew quickly recognized that the woman’s condition might be a result of a possible drug overdose and they administered a dose of Narcan via a nasal atomizer. Narcan (Naloxone) is a drug used to reverse the effects of opiate based drugs

Within a minute, the women’s breathing stabilized and she regained consciousness. She was transported by the East Brunswick Rescue Squad to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick along with RWJ Paramedics and was released the following day.

The East Brunswick Rescue Squad started carrying NARCAN on their ambulances back in July 2014 after Governor Christie empowered state certified EMTs to carry and use NARCAN. The squad held multiple training sessions that instructed members on how and when to use Narcan according to John Hosie who is the Rescue Squad’s Captain.

“People who use opiate based drugs such as heroin take a high risk of going into respiratory and cardiac arrest,” continued Hosie. “These types of overdoses are becoming more common and having a “tool” such as NARCAN will definitely save more lives.”

About the East Brunswick Rescue Squad
The East Brunswick Rescue Squad is incorporated as a non profit, volunteer run organization funded by charitable contributions. Its national and state certified EMTs provide pre hospital trauma and medical life support to East Brunswick. Marking its 62nd anniversary this year, the squad’s 60 plus riding members answered 1,742 calls and contributed 19,378 hours of volunteer time in 2013. EBRS’ coverage area includes the township’s 23.5 square miles and the New Jersey Turnpike. The East Brunswick Rescue Squad maintains a website at www.ebrs.org. Donations can be made directly at this site or 346 Cranbury Rd. East Brunswick, NJ 08816, Attn: Donations