Heroes - Sergeant Dove, Officers Berryman, Wiencek, Vermillion as well as Sergeant Parsons (not pictured)
********** For Immediate Release **********
,Incident: Three Lives Saved due to EVZIO Naloxone Auto-Injectors
Date: July 14, 2016
Location: Dunwoody Police Department
On July 13, 2016, Dunwoody Police Department Officers G. Wiencek and M. Vermillion responded to a local apartment complex in reference to a medical call. After evaluating the situation, the officers administered four doses of EVZIO Naloxone to an unconscious male with labored breathing. Approximately five minutes after the fourth dose was administered, the male regained consciousness. He was later transported to the hospital for further treatment. He survived this life-threatening event, in large part due to the administration of Naloxone by the responding officers, and is expected to make a full recovery.
On June 16, 2016, Dunwoody Police Sergeant J. Dove and Officer N. Berryman responded to a local hotel in reference to a medical call. After evaluating the situation, and after being advised two individuals had possibly overdosed on opioids, the officers administered three doses of EVZIO Naloxone between an unconscious male and unconscious female. After receiving the injections, both subjects regained consciousness and were later transported to the hospital for further treatment. Both the male and female victim survived this life-threatening event, in large part due to the administration of Naloxone by the responding officers, and both were able to make a full recovery.
These incidents follow another medical call in December 2015, in which Sergeant R. Parsons administered two doses of Naloxone to an unconscious male suspected of being the victim of a drug overdose. That victim was also able to make a full recovery.
Less than a year after receiving an EVZIO Naloxone donation from kaléo, a pharmaceutical company based in Virginia, officers have been able to save the lives of four individuals from cases of almost-certain overdoses. Due to the medical attention provided by the responding officers, combined with the availability of EVZIO Naloxone, the victims were quickly stabilized and monitored until they could receive advanced treatment in a medical facility.
“It is hard not to get choked up when we hear of another life being saved by the Dunwoody Police Department, with the help of EVZIO,” said Spencer Williamson, CEO of kaléo. “I want to congratulate Chief Grogan and the Department’s outstanding public safety officers for their remarkable efforts to respond to the opioid overdose crisis facing this country. We salute their efforts and are glad to have been able to contribute to their work.”
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, overdose deaths in Georgia rose from 61 in 2014 to 134 in 2015. The number of overdose deaths for 2016 is expected to be significantly higher than in 2015. This sharp increase in overdose deaths highlights the need for first responders to have access to life-saving devices such as Naloxone.
“Equipping our officers with life saving devices such as AEDs or Naloxone is a priority for our department,” said Police Chief Billy Grogan. “Fortunately, our officers were in the right place at the right time and delivered this life saving drug in time to save a life.”
The Dunwoody Police Department commends Officer Wiencek, Officer Vermillion, Sergeant Dove and Officer Berryman for their fast response to each scene and immediate treatment of the victims. The actions of each officer saved the lives of three individuals during medical emergencies.
For more information, contact the Dunwoody Police Department’s Community Outreach Unit via telephone at (678) 382-6917 or via Email at communityoutreach@dunwoodyga.gov.
2 comments:
After posting above I was interested in State Law to see if Naloxone was available by prescription for a family member and discovered that allowance was included in the 2014 law. The bill signed into law is an interesting read and is available here.
HB965 Naloxone - effective 4-24-2014
As of April 24, 2014, Georgia practitioners were authorized to begin issuing prescriptions for Opioid Antagonists (Naloxone). Please notify any and all pharmacies and pharmacists in your company, association, or practice area of this new law, and the fact that it is now in effect, and these Naloxone prescriptions can now be filled and dispensed.
Unlike traditional prescriptions, practitioners may prescribe an opioid antagonist in the name of an organization, clinic, or law enforcement agency. The practitioner is authorized to issue these prescriptions to a person at risk of experiencing an opioid related overdose or to a pain management clinic, first responder, harm reduction organization, family member, friend, or other person in a position to assist a person at risk of experiencing an opioid related overdose.
A pharmacist acting in good faith and in compliance with the standard of care applicable to pharmacists may dispense opioid antagonists pursuant to a prescription issued in accordance with subsection (b) of this Code section. Meaning a Naloxone prescription does not have to be issued to a particular person. The prescription can be written in the name of a pain management clinic, a first responder agency (i.e. police department, law enforcement agency, etc.) or an overdose reduction organization. The prescription can be for one dosage unit or an unlimited number, depending totally upon the practitioner issuing the prescription.
Please be proactive in this situation and prepare to have in stock the Naloxone as written by the practitioners. It is not a valid excuse that this type of prescription cannot be filled and dispensed. Within days of the Holly Springs Police Department issuing Naloxone to its police force an officer responded to an overdose call. He was able to administer the Naloxone and save the life of a young adult – the exact reason for this law being passed.
With the caveat that I'm not a doctor, but I do play one on-line, I have a resolution for all these opioid over-doses - the legalization of marijuana in its entirety, both medicinal and recreational, but as long as we have crooked political whores for leaders, who take money from the liquor and pharmaceutical lobbies, we shall never see this life-saving solution come to fruition in this nation.
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