To Counter the Affects of Opioids, West Essex First Aid Squad Trained to Administer Narcan

by Carolyne Volpe Curley / Carolyne@WestEssexNOW.com
Published 9:13am

Credit: Peter Nancoz

From left: WEFAS Captain David Black, Stephanie Niemiec, MICP, Tim Enchelmaier, Barbara Ashton, Janice Stickles, Mary Donovan, Jerry Gordon, Matthew Striziver, Linda Piccirillo, Michael Bell, Jessie Bunn, John Taylor, Rosemarie Sutherlin and Jeff Sutherlin   Not shown: Peter Nancoz, Dwight Drastal and John Ihling

WEST CALDWELL, NJ - Recently, members of the West Essex First Aid Squad(WEFAS) were trained to administer Naloxone, also known as Narcan which is a special narcotic medication used to reverse the effects of opioids (narcotic drugs such as Heroin, Codeine and Morphine). The training was conducted on June 24 byStephanie Niemiec, MICP and attended by WEFAS officers. 

WEFAS Captain David Black understands that the West Essex First Aid Squad is the first agency in the area to be approved to carry and administer Narcan.

"While we hope to never need to use this life saving drug, 
we are trained and ready if needed," Black commented.

According to New Jersey's Office of the State Medical Examiner, drug-related deaths have increased from 1,026 deaths in 2011 to 1,294 deaths in 2012. In March,Governor Chris Christie announced that the NJ Department of Health had passed the “Overdose Prevention Act” to allow health care professionals, under certain circumstances, to dispense Narcan. 

"Allowing first responders to administer Narcan will save lives. 
We want to encourage people to seek medical assistance
when a drug overdose occurs," Christie commented.
"This action by the Department of Health is consistent with the Overdose Prevention Act I signed into law last year."

To prevent fatalities, the act grants all certified NJ EMTs the authorization to administer Narcan to any individual believed to be experiencing an opioid overdose. The act, signed by Health Commissioner Mary E. O'Dowd, was necessary because the use of Narcan was not currently covered by state EMT rules and the present administration wanted to act quickly in the face of what has been described as an epidemic of heroin-related deaths.

"Every minute counts in an emergency overdose situation 
so having first responders carry and administer this medication 
may mean the difference between life and death," said O’Dowd.

Further Reading:

• West Essex First Aid Squad Successfully Revives Caldwell Patient With Narcan, Thursday
  

Further Information
West Essex First Aid Squad
President: George Carnrick, Jr 
Captain: David Black
642 Bloomfield Avenue
West Caldwell, NJ 07006
973-403-8568
Website

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