Orange County Honored For Use Of Life Saving Drug

Orange County received the Excellence in Innovation Award from the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, on Monday night, for the Naloxone Project, which has saved the lives of four people who have overdosed on opioids.

Officers across the county have started carrying naloxone kits, which help combat the effects of a heroin overdose.

“With naloxone it’s really neat because it builds a bridge,” said Captain Chris Atack of the Carrboro Police Department. “You basically have more time to get that person to medical facilities where they can bring that person out of that danger.”

He said it cost his department $700 to train and supply all of their officers.

During an opioid overdose, the brain tells the body to stop breathing. Sheriff Charles Blackwood said naloxone starts the breathing process again, but in a way that is safe for both officers and the person involved.

“When you have someone that may come out of an opioid overdose they’re violent, often times very violent, to the point you’d rather they go back to sleep” he said. “But sleep is death. This minimal dose will allow you to start breathing again, but you don’t come back in a combative state.”

Orange County is the first health department to take advantage of the 2013 Good Samaritan/Naloxone Access legislation, allowing doctors, family and friends to administer naloxone to someone who overdoses on opioids, without being prosecuted.

“Naloxone, also known as Narcan, quickly and effectively reverses overdose, if administered in time. This program places Orange County on the map, leading the way for other communities to follow this cost effective, life-saving example,” said Dr. Colleen Bridger, director of the Orange County Health Department.

Because of Orange County regulation, before EMS is allowed on the scene, police officers must arrive first and make sure it is safe for unarmed personnel.

“It may take (EMS) a minute or two, three minutes depending on where they’re staging, so if the officer can do that quick assessment, assemble the kit and administer that naloxone, you’re talking minutes,” Atack said. “Minutes when you’re running out of oxygen, when you’re brain is starving, when you may go into cardiac arrest because there’s not enough oxygen, can really save a life.”

Kim Woodward of Orange County EMS said medical staff has been carrying naloxone for nearly 30 years and due to changes made in 2013, non-medically trained officers are now able to carry it as well.

“Because the Good Samaritan Law expanded, it allowed lay-folks to give the naloxone,” she said. “If lay-folks can give the naloxone, then non-medically trained folks, such as our law enforcement, could give the naloxone as well.”

Atack said heroin use across Orange County is on the rise due to the federal government making it harder for people to get prescription opioids.

“It’s a second or third chance at life for someone to get clean,” he said. “I’ve seen neighbor’s kids suffer with addiction and I can’t imagine dealing with that on a daily basis so anything we can simply do to give someone a shot to get right.”

Officers in Chapel Hill, Carrboro and across the rest of Orange County are now trained and carrying naloxone kits.

Blackwood said 97 percent of his staff has been trained.