2 Students OD'ing At Riverhead High Saved With Narcan: Ambulance

RIVERHEAD, NY — Two students overdosing at Riverhead High School were saved with Narcan this week, officials said.

A representative from the Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps told Patch that the teens were overdosing on "some sort of opiate," but could not confirm what drug they had taken.

On Thursday, Riverhead High School Principal Sean O'Hara sent a message to Riverhead High School families.

"It has come to the district’s attention that a potentially harmful, ingestible substance may be circulating throughout our school community and accessible to students," O'Hara wrote. "As our district takes these matters very seriously, I am reaching out today to encourage our families to have conversations with their children about being aware of their surroundings and understanding the consequences of their actions."

O'Hara said the information the district had about the substance and how it was being accessed by individuals remained limited as of Thursday. "As partners in education, we felt it was important to bring this matter to your attention," he said. "We encourage our families to speak with their children about not accepting unknown items from other individuals and to always report any suspicious behaviors or items to a trusted adult immediately."

O'Hara said the district was taking proactive steps to mitigate the matter internally, including partnering with law enforcement to further investigate the matter and "working collaboratively to develop a quick resolution to ensure students’ continued health and safety."