By Kevin Coughlin
It did not take long for Morristown Police Officer James Green to put his Narcan training to use.
Moments after his training session ended on Thursday morning, Green administered the medication to revive a suspected overdose victim on Speedwell Avenue, according to Lt. Stuart Greer, Morristown’s police spokesman.
Green was assisted by Officer Robert Hydock of the Morris Township police force, which last week made its first “save” using Narcan, also known as naloxone.
Lt. Greer said Green was dispatched to a reported cardiac arrest from a probable drug overdose at 126 Speedwell around 10 am, as the training session was winding down.
Officer Hydock heard the dispatch call and alerted Morristown that he was closest to the scene and had a Narcan kit.
The two officers found a 53-year-old Morristown man who was not breathing, apparently because of a heroin overdose. Hydock prepared the Narcan kit and Green administered the nasal dose.
Based on these efforts, and assistance from Emergency Medical Services personnel from Atlantic Health, “the male victim visibly regained his breathing efforts and was fully conscious by the time he was placed into the ambulance for transport,” Lt. Greer reported.
Police Chiefs Pete Demnitz of Morristown and John McGuinness of Morris Township commended their officers and expressed thanks to the Atlantic Health System for providing Narcan training.
All emergency responders in both municipalities now are trained in the use of this life-saving medication, according to the chiefs. Narcan blocks opiate receptors in the brain from responding to opiates. The kits cost about $40 apiece, Greer said.
The victim’s identity was not released.
Congrats to these police officers! AND to the developers of Narcan.