San Bernardino County Probation officers save lives with Narcan
Since the start of its Narcan program in 2020, San Bernardino County Probation officers have saved lives on school campuses, in the field, and in the office.
Division Director II Kathleen Huaman, who oversees the SBCP Department’s Narcan program, said officers in Nov. 2020 began using the medication Naloxone, which is designed to reverse or reduce the effects of opioids.
With approximately 400 officers deployed with Narcan, those on duty have administered Narcan eight times since the program's inception, Huaman told the Daily Press.
The administration of Narcan has been successful in seven of eight instances since early February.
Two successful administrations of Narcan were given to on-duty law enforcement officers, two to youth on local school campuses, one to a client during a probation office visit, and two to probationers in the community, Huaman said.
The SBC Probation Department was approved to carry and administer Narcan by the Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency in Feb. 2019.
Narcan training
“While this training is mandatory for officers, carrying Narcan is voluntary,” Huaman said. “This approval was based on a 2-hour training developed and taught by Dr. Michael Neeki that included Powerpoint instruction, a written skills test, and a hands-on practicum.”
The ICEMA requires training to consist of a minimum of a one-hour presentation and shall result in the public safety personnel being competent in performing this skill and administering the associated medication, Huaman stated.
The training includes background and causes of opioid overdose and how to identify signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose.
Training also discusses Narcan actions, indications and contraindications, dose, route, warnings, potential adverse reactions, and intranasal medication delivery.
The training also discusses respirator fit, use and maintenance, limitations and capabilities, practical use and storage, and inspection. Training for officers is required every two years, and recertification of the training is due every four years.
A life-saving tool
SBC Probation Department Chief Medical Officer Dr. Neeki, who developed and taught Narcan training to staff, said in 2014, the department mobilized a committee to establish a Narcan program in anticipation of the worsening opioid crisis in the U.S. and the local community.
“Our preliminary goal was to develop an optional skill educational program for the administration of Narcan by the first responders that would satisfy the requirements of the local and state emergency medical services authorities,” Dr. Neeki said. “This meant that officers had to complete enhanced training and show proficiency in recognizing the signs of opioid overdose and be able to apply Narcan.”
After the implementation of the Narcan program, the educational resources and training have been shared with many other organizations throughout the Inland Empire to educate and prepare first responders to save lives, Dr. Neeki stated.
“Since the start of the program, many lives have been saved, which is a testament to our leadership's forward thinking and all of those who took the initiative and believed in giving a second chance to fellow human beings,” Dr. Neeki said. “In summary, The Narcan program provided a life-saving tool for our first responders.”
Sheriff’s Deputies use Narcan
In May 2022, the SBC Sheriff's Department approved NARCAN for field use and implemented it in late 2022 following extensive training, the Daily Press reported.
Approval of NARCAN came through a collaborative effort with the California Department of Public Health's Naloxone Grant Program, the Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency, and the SBC Board of Supervisors.
Sheriff’s officials stated that deputies' first use of Narcan came in Dec. 2022 in Crestline and in Jan. 2023 in Apple Valley when deputies saved the lives of two men suspected of overdosing.
Increase in fentanyl use
The increase in fentanyl use across the U.S. has led to many law enforcement agency officials carrying Naloxone.
The SBC Public Health Officer 2022 issued a health advisory to bring attention to the dangers of fentanyl due to a marked increase in overdose deaths in the county.
County officials released data regarding the local use of fentanyl, which the Drug Enforcement Administration has described as a cheap and powerful synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. Just two milligrams of the drug can be lethal.
In 2018, there were 30 fentanyl overdose deaths in the county. The number rose to 74 residents in 2019 and 227 in 2020. In 2021, there were 309 fentanyl overdose deaths in the county, SBC officials reported.
Fentanyl is responsible for more overdose deaths than any other illegal drug in the U.S., according to the CDC.
The drug is a significant contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the U.S. Its increased presence in the drug supply contributes to the increase in overdose deaths.
Many illegal drugs — including counterfeit prescription opioid pills, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and ecstasy — can be mixed with fentanyl with or without a person’s knowledge, as they would not be able to see, taste, or smell the fentanyl.
For information about drug use treatment options, call 800- 968-2636.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: San Bernardino County Probation officers save lives with Narcan
