Hempstead County deputies and jail personnel have been issued medication to help combat opioid overdoses, according to Sheriff James Singleton.
"Deputies and jailers will be trained in the use of naloxone, and deputies will carry two doses of the medication with them in case they encounter someone who has overdosed on opioids or it can be used by the deputies if they are somehow exposed to the drug by accident. It will also be issued to supervisory personnel at the Hempstead County Detention Center," Singleton said.
"Naloxone is a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose. It is an opioid antagonist--meaning that it binds to opioid receptors and can reverse and block the effects of other opioids. It can very quickly restore normal respiration to a person whose breathing has slowed or stopped as a result of overdosing with heroin or prescription opioid pain medications," he said.
During an opioid overdose, naloxone can be used by deputies to reverse the effects of the drugs.
"With the high addiction rate in Arkansas, it's important that those who get on scene first have this life-saving medicine," he said.
"It may be 30 minutes or longer before they can get to a hospital, so our deputies and jail personnel need to have the tools there to reverse the effects of the opioids and to keep people alive long enough that we can get them to a hospital to get them other treatment and hopefully save their life," Singleton said.
The deputies last year responded to about 20 calls involving intentional or accidental overdoses of opioids.
"We are pleased that we are going to be able to have this life-saving medication for our deputies and jail personnel to use in case they encounter someone who may have overdosed," Singleton said.
Metro on 01/09/2018