Pierson, FL - A Volusia County deputy used Narcan to save a woman's life this week after she overdosed on heroin at a home in Pierson.
When Deputy Brandon Coker responded to the scene in reference to a suspected overdose, he found a 28-year-old unconscious woman who had blue lips, was breathing slowly and had a slow pulse. Based on the symptoms Coker suspected she was suffering from an opioid overdose and needed emergency treatment. The deputy administered 1 dose of Narcan nasal spray, a form of naloxone which can almost instantly reverse the effects of a heroin overdose, but the woman remained unresponsive. Coker administered a 2nd dose and placed her in a recovery position.
After a few minutes, she started reacting positively to the Narcan. A man who was at the home with the woman told deputies that they had injected heroin and smoked marijuana. Both were brought to DeLand Hospital and several narcotics were taken from a bedroom and placed in evidence.
Deputies found 3 small children asleep at the house. All the children appeared to be in good health but DCF was notified due to the living conditions and the presence of drugs.
According to their Public Information Office, this was the 1st life saved by a VCSO deputy using Narcan. Narcan costs $75 per carton and each carton has two doses. VCSO's Narcan supply is 100% grant-funded by SMA Behavioral Health Services, which also takes on the task of treating and rehabilitating patients who are saved. To learn more about SMA Behavioral Health Services, go to SMABehavioral.org.
A Facebook post from VCSO on this incident included the following comment: "We may not agree with the lifestyle choices of those who abuse drugs, and we may feel strongly about the harm they do to their families and our entire community. But when they're out working to protect the people of Volusia County, our deputies will never just stand by and let someone die if they can do something about it. We won't save everyone, but this time, we saved someone."
Photo courtesy PureRadiancePhoto and Shutterstock.com.
Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2017.
