Kings Park In the kNOw and Legislator Trotta’s Timely Training
The Suffolk County Police Department issued an advisory Wednesday April 15th saying that both Police officers and the Lake Ronkonkoma Fire Department Personnel saved three people from an overdose used the drug Naloxone (Narcan).
The incident played out on Kirby Lane in Lake Ronkomkoma at approximately 4:15 p.m.
Police Officers Daniel Sable, David Vlacich and Vincent Liberato responded a 911 call of multiple individuals found unconscious at a home Kirby Lane in Lake Ronkonkoma. “When officers arrived, they found a 39-year-old female, a 43-year-old female and a 46-year-old male, unconscious in an upstairs bedroom at approximately 4:15 p.m.” said the report from Police Commissioner’s Weber’s office.
The officers, along with members from the Lake Ronkonkoma Fire Department, carried the victims out of the house. Lake Ronkonkoma Fire Department Rescue personnel administered intranasal Narcan and the victims regained consciousness.
The three victims were transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where they were in stable condition.
According to Art Flescher of the Suffolk County Division of Community mental Health, Narcan has been responsible for saving 354 lives in 2012, 475 lives in 2013 and 493 lives in 2014 in Suffolk County alone. Revere says all you have to do is look at those numbers to see how great the need is for as many people as possible to be trained in the utilization of Narcan.
Suffolk County was one of the first counties, if not the first in the country to mandate that al their emergency personnel are trained and carry the drug. Most emergency personnel carry the nasal spray and many citizens carry the injectable form.
Suffolk County Legislator Robert Trotta, Kings Park in the kNOw and Suffolk County Department of Health Services will be hosting a free Narcan training on Monday April 20th from 6:45 to 8:45 at the Kings Park Brank at 1 Church Street.
KPITK, a small non-profit that rose up due to the region’s youth opiate and heroin epidemic in 2005 has hosted two such trainings to date. Kim Revere is the President of the grassroots movement which has spread out over the decade to become part of a larger voice for change both from an educational standpoint and a legislative standpoint. “Most people don’t realize that an overdose can take up to three hours, that’s a huge opportunity to save a life,” she explained.
Revere said the other two training were enormously successful and in addition to parents of the addicted many nurses show up to be trained as well.
Freshman Suffolk Legislator said he’s inviting parents and other interested members of the community to learn how to recognize and maybe prevent a drug overdose. “Those attending must be 18 years or older and will receive a free lifesaving Narcan kit and instructions on how to reverse the deadly effects of an overdose from heroin or opiates,” he added. Revere said she is grateful that Trotta gets the important of this epidemic.
“As a member of the Legislature’s Health Committee, I am pleased to partner with the County’s Health Department and Kings Park in the kNOw to make this training available to my constituents and the community,” said Legislator Trotta.
Revere says that Narcan is another tool to keep in your first aid kit. “Why wouldn’t you want something that can buy time when saving the life of a family member or a member of your community,” she asked. She adds that every moment counts when a brain is being deprived of oxygen. “Attending a narcan training not only provides a person with the tool to save a life but it is an educational experience about the scope of this epidemic that has claimed countless lives and grossly impacted thousands of more families,” she explained.
Denise Mullen is a nurse and a friend of Trotta, she helped to facilitate the partnership. Participants will receive a certificate of completion and an emergency kit that includes Narcan. In order to have enough kits for those attending, reservations should be made by calling Legislator Trotta’s office at 631-854-3900 or by contactingsusan.eckert@suffolkcountyny.gov .Please RSVP before April 14, 2015.