Health and recovery organizations banded together this week at Fort Lewis College to talk about how Narcan can save the life of someone experiencing a drug overdose.
Naloxone, which is the name of the medication in Narcan, comes in a nasal spray that can bring a person who is experiencing an overdose back to consciousness. It is important to note that Narcan works only with opioid overdoses.
“When you administer naloxone, you want to make sure the person is lying down with their head tilted back to open up their airways,” said Candice Seay, chapter coordinator for Young People in Recovery. “The person doesn’t have to be breathing for it to work.”
Narcan is only effective at stopping an opioid overdose for about 90 minutes. Seay said it is important to always call 911 after administering Narcan, because someone may slip back into an overdose.
The event was organized by Young People in Recovery, Unite Us, Southwestern Colorado Area Health Education Center, La Plata County Suicide Prevention Collaborative, Recognizing Opportunity Around Resilience and the Wellness Peer Advisory Council at Fort Lewis College.
After the presentation about Narcan, a panel from local recovery groups, law enforcement and medical professionals spoke about overdoses and the good Samaritan law.
The good Samaritan law protects people from being arrested or prosecuted if they call 911 to help someone experiencing an overdose. A person who is overdosing is also protected under the good Samaritan law.
“A lot of people are afraid to call first responders because they don’t want to be charged with something,” Seay said.
FLC campus police Chief Brett Deming urged those in attendance to call 911 if someone is experiencing an overdose.
“If you take away one thing from this meeting, it’s that if somebody is overdosing, call 911. Law enforcement is not interested in busting you,” he said. “We’re interested in saving lives.”
Deming said it is important that people know they are protected under the good Samaritan law, so they can cooperate with first responders at the scene.
“We need to know what they’ve taken and how long ago they took it,” he said. “All of that information is going to help our paramedics on scene and our doctors when they get to the emergency room. Please stay on scene when you call.”
Panel member Sgt. Wes Doughty with the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office said fentanyl is circulating in La Plata County. What’s been found recently are small blue fentanyl pills referred to as Mexican Blues, because they’re being brought up from the border.
“One of those pills can actually kill someone if it’s a bad pill or it’s somebody who’s not used to it,” Doughty said.
About 80 kits containing Narcan and fentanyl test strips were made available for those who attended. Once the kits ran out, the organization began handing out just Narcan to people asking for it. Seay said her rough estimate is that more than 100 Narcan nasal sprays were handed out.
Residents who are looking for access to Narcan can reach out to Young People in Recovery Durango, Axis Health System and Southwestern Colorado Area Health Education Center.
Future meetings are planned to further educate people about Narcan and good Samaritan laws.
In April, Seay said local health and recovery organizations hope to come up with ways for parents to talk with their kids about what to do in a situation where someone is overdosing.
“We want to curate a training for parents of our youth in La Plata County. We want to make sure that parents are comfortable with this information and these resources,” she said. “We want to find a way and encourage parents to find a way to make these conversations safe.”
njohnson@durangoherald.com
