Local law enforcement agencies receive Narcan kits, discuss importance
August 23, 2023 5:10 am | Original Article by KTLO
Baxter County Deputy Tanner Anderson was the first person in line last week to receive the sheriff’s office allotment of Naloxone to treat Opioid overdoses.
Several local law enforcement agencies received an allotment of Naloxone, also known as Narcan, at an event in central Arkansas last week. Fifteen thousand kits of the lifesaving kits to assist someone who has overdosed on Opioids were distributed at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock.
Mountain Home Assistant Police Chief Robert McCoy says unfortunately, their department has had to use Narcan six to eight times since it became available.
Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery says law enforcement goes through training before using the drug, but Narcan is safe to administer, even if the person is not suffering from an Opioid overdose.
The medicine was purchased using money the state received from a national lawsuit against Opioid distributors. Montgomery says the program is helpful since they have to get the medicine on a regular basis.
McCoy says the state keeps up with the doses used.
Kirk Lane, Director of Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership, says they are sending the Narcan kits to law enforcement agencies and schools that couldn’t make it to last week’s event.
