Narcan Training Hosted by Glen Cove EMS and Legislator DeRiggi-Whitton

The statistics are horrifying: every day, at least one Long Islander dies from an opiate overdose. Seven out of ten die in the home. Heroin use often starts with opiates in pill form. Because heroin is stronger and easier to acquire than pills, many gravitate to this highly addictive drug that is cheaper than a pack of cigarettes to buy.

While the fight against the heroin and opiate addiction continues, there is something that everyone can do to try to minimize the number of deaths that occur from overdoes to heroin and other opiates. Organized by the Glen Cove EMS and sponsored by County Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, a Narcan education and training session is scheduled for Wednesday, October 19 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Glen Cove Fire Department, 10 Glen Cove Avenue.

“As a first responder, I often see the need for Narcan on calls I respond to. If family members or friends on the scene had Narcan to administer a moment or two before we arrived, more lives could have been saved,” Glen Cove EMS Ex-Chief Tony Jimenez said. “The response time is ASAP in the case of an opiate overdose and having Narcan on hand could mean the difference between saving or losing the life of a loved one.”

Narcan (Naloxone) is an easily administered nasal mist that reverses an opiate overdose. The free kits are distributed during Narcan training sessions. “Through these training sessions and other meetings, I have met many people whose children are or were well-behaved, good students from nurturing families who became addicted to heroin too easily,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “They all say, ‘If it happened in my family, it can happen in anyone’s.’”

Anyone 18 or older can register for the training, which also covers warning signs of drug addiction. There is no fee for the training, but attendees must pre-register online at nassaucountyny.gov/overdosetraining and other important information.