Sunday morning almost 50 members of LaPaz-North Township Fire Department, Lakeville Fire Department, and Union North Ambulance came together to receive training on administering Naloxone or narcan.
Naloxone hydrochloride, a life-saving medication that can stop or reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Opioids are a class of drugs that include prescription medications such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine, as well as the illegal drug heroin.
Drug overdose deaths, driven largely by prescription drug overdoses, are now the leading cause of injury death in the United States – surpassing motor vehicle crashes.
In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the number of drug overdose deaths had steadily increased for more than a decade. When someone overdoses on an opioid, it can be difficult to awaken the person, and breathing may become shallow or stop – leading to death if there is no medical intervention. If naloxone is administered quickly, it can counter the overdose effects, usually within two minutes
Having the training and the ability to administer this medication shows the dedication and work of our personnel here at LaPaz Fire Department to help others in their time of need.
