Cranston Cop Credited With Saving Two Lives in One Week

A 20-year-old Cranston woman’s life was spared on April 1 after Officer Brenton Medeiros of Cranston police administered a dose of naloxone as she faded from a heroin overdose.

The victim was found by her mother and Medeiros was first on scene after police were called and he saw the victim was unconscious with a faint pulse and labored breathing.

Recognizing the signs of a fatal overdose, Medeiros quickly injected the victim with his department-issued naloxone, which “sustained the victim’s vital signs until the arrival of the Cranston Fire Department,” said Cranston Police Chief Col. Michael J. Winquist.

The victim was transported to Kent County Hospital but not before she regained consciousness and her vital signs quickly improved as she was being placed in the rescue.

Cranston police officers began carrying naloxone, commonly referred to as narcan, earlier this year in response to the ongoing heroin overdose epidemic, which claims the lives of about 17,000 Americans each year.

Last year, 12 overdose deaths occurred in Cranston. There were 233 deaths attributed to accidental overdoses in Rhode Island overall. In many cases, first responders equipped with narcan can halt and quickly reverse the fatal symptoms associated with a heroin overdose.

“I am thankful that we were able to receive a donation from the Virginia based company kaléo that allowed us to train and equip all of our first-line officers with the life-saving drug naloxone. Having this drug on hand where seconds can make the difference between life and death is imperative. If it wasn’t for Officer Medeiros’s quick response and injection of naloxone, the outcome in this case would likely have been tragic, resulting in the unnecessary loss of another young person suffering from opioid addiction,” Winquist said in a statement. “We must continue to combat this epidemic through treatment, education, and targeting those who profit from the sale of illicit drugs.”

For Medeiros, the saving of the young woman’s life came exactly a week after he saved the life of former Nortek CEO Richard Bready after a crash off Interstate 195 in East Providence.

Medeiros was on his way to work when he saw flames on a side street. He jumped a fence and ran to a burning SUV and pulled Bready from the vehicle shortly before it exploded and was completley engulfed in flames.

Medeiros, while deserving of praise, told reporters at a press conference last week that he was just doing his job and utilizing his training.

His chief, however, might appreciate his officer’s humility, but even he said Mederios’ actions were incredible.

“I commend Officer Medeiros who incredibly saved the lives of two individuals in less than a week,” Winquist said.

Photo Courtesy: ABC6