Forty-two people across Morris County owe their lives to swift action by police administering the drug overdose antidote Narcan last year, according to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.
Three of those “saves” were performed by Morristown police, and another was credited to the Morris Township department.
Wharton police topped the list with eight saves, followed by Rockaway Township with six and Randolph and Montville with four apiece.
Working with the Atlantic Ambulance Corporation, the prosecutor’s office launched a program in the summer of 2014 to train and equip police officers to administer the nasal spray, also known as Naloxone.
Today, 27 police departments across the county are equipping their officers with this life-saving medication. Tragically, the need is great: At least 37 people died from drug overdoses in the county in 2015.
“Unfortunately, police officers in Morris County are encountering significant numbers of overdoses from opiates in the form of heroin, morphine, methadone, codeine, oxycodone (OxyContin®, Percocet® and Percodan®) and hydrocodone (Vicodin®). This epidemic is being experienced throughout the State of New Jersey,” Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said in statement.
The antidote works by displacing opioids from the receptors in the brain that control the central nervous system and respiratory system.
And here’s the full statement from the Prosecutor.
FROM THE MORRIS COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE:
Morris County Law Enforcement Prevents 42 Fatal Heroin and Opiate Overdoses in 2015
Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp announces today that during 2015 Morris County Law Enforcement agencies collectively saved 42 people from succumbing to a fatal opiate overdose through the administration of Narcan® (Naloxone).
In the summer of 2014, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office formally launched a Nasal Narcan® (Naloxone) program in Morris County that trained and equipped Morris County police officers to administer the antidote Narcan® to persons suffering from an overdose of heroin or prescription opiates.
The Morris County Narcan® Program is a partnership between the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, participating municipal police departments and Atlantic Ambulance Corporation.
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office arranged with Atlantic Ambulance Corporation to provide training and medical oversight to Morris County municipal police departments that opt to participate in the Narcan® Program.
Today there are a total of 27 police departments in Morris County that are equipping their police Officers with Narcan.
Naloxone is an opioid antagonist that can be used to counter the effects of an opiate overdose. Naloxone displaces opioids from the receptors in the brain that control the central nervous system and respiratory system. An aerosol form of naloxone, Narcan® is administered nasally through use of a syringe-atomizer.
Unfortunately, police officers in Morris County are encountering significant numbers of overdoses from opiates in the form of heroin, morphine, methadone, codeine, oxycodone (OxyContin®, Percocet® and Percodan®) and hydrocodone (Vicodin®). This epidemic is being experienced throughout the State of New Jersey.
Tragically, at least 37 individuals died in Morris County during 2015 from an opiate overdose.
However, in 2015 Narcan® was administered by first responding police officers a total of 48 times and is credited with 42 “saves” which represents recovery from a potentially fatal overdose.
The following Morris County Police Departments had officers provide a lifesaving dose of Narcan® during 2015:
Town of Boonton Police Department
One save occurring on 10/19/15.
Boonton Township Police Department
Two saves occurring on 7/6/15 and 7/16/15.
Butler Borough Police Department
One save occurring on 7/28/15.
Denville Township Police Department
One save occurring on 10/2/15.
Florham Park Borough Police Department
One save occurring on 9/2/15.
Hanover Township Police Department
One save occurring on 6/28/15.
Jefferson Township Police Department
One save occurring on 7/30/15.
Lincoln Park Police Department
Two saves occurring on 3/19/15 and 5/12/15.
Madison Borough Police Department
One save occurring on 10/21/15.
Montville Township Police Department
Four saves occurring on 4/21/15, 6/26/15, 8/03/15, and 8/29/15.
Morris Township Police Department
One save occurring on 6/3/15.
Morristown Bureau of Police
Three saves occurring on 6/11/15, 9/2/15 and 11/25/15.
Netcong Borough Police Department
One save occurring on 10/31/15.
Pequannock Township Police Department
Two saves occurring on 4/10/15 and 11/17/15.
Randolph Township Police Department
Four saves occurring on 1/1/15, 5/24/15, 12/7/15, and 9/3/15
Rockaway Township Police Department
Six saves occurring on 6/2/15, *8/22/15 (two saves occurred on 8/22/2015), 8/28/15, 9/13/15 and 9/1/15.
Washington Township Police Department
Two saves occurring on 9/9/15 and 10/25/15.
Wharton Borough Police Department
Eight saves occurring on 2/2/15, 2/28/15, 5/10/15, 5/20/15, 5/23/15, 6/24/15, 8/10/15, and 12/5/15.
Prosecutor Knapp stated: “The State of New Jersey is plagued by addictive heroin and other opiates. Morris County is not immune from this epidemic. Law Enforcement is taking a dynamic approach when dealing with these addictive poisons. Equipping our first responding police officers with Narcan is a critical and compassionate approach to the opiate epidemic.”
In 2015 there were 42 instances in which police officers valiantly gave someone suffering from an opiate addiction a second chance to seek treatment.
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office will continue to work together with local law enforcement and the community to fight against this opiate epidemic. We greatly appreciate the support of Atlantic Health System in this continuing battle.”
Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp wishes to thank all the police officers that saved a life using Narcan in 2015 as well as Atlantic Ambulance Corporation and, specifically their Education Coordinator, Rory McGuinness, MICP, CCEMTP for contributing to the Morris County Narcan Program’s success.
