42 Narcan saves last year in Morris County

MORRISTOWN - 42 lives were saved last year in Morris County due to the successful administration of Narcan to prevent fatal heroin and opiate overdoses, according to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.

Narcan is an opioid antagonist used to counter the effects of opioids in cases of overdose.

The county and state have encountered significant overdoses from heroin, morphine, methadone, codeine, oxycodone, and Vicodin in recent years, with at least 37 people dying in Morris County in 2015 from an opiate overdose, according to Prosecutor’s Office said.

But Narcan was administered by first responding police officers 48 times in 2015, resulting in 42 “saves” from a potentially fatal overdose.

“The State of New Jersey is plagued by addictive heroin and other opiates.  Morris County is not immune from this epidemic,” Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said.  “Law Enforcement is taking a dynamic approach when dealing with these addictive poisons.  Equipping our first responding police officers with Narcan is a critical and compassionate approach to the opiate epidemic.”

The Prosecutor’s Office formally launched a program to train and equip Morris County police officers to carry and administer it starting in summer 2014.

The Morris County Narcan Program is a partnership between the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, participating municipal police departments and Atlantic Ambulance Corporation, which provides the training and medical oversight to officers.

27 police departments in the county currently equip their officers with Narcan, typically using an aerosol form of naloxone, which is administered nasally.

Wharton Police had the most saves in the county in 2015, with eight between Feb. 2 and Dec. 5, followed by Rockaway Township Police with six.

Montville and Randolph police departments each had four Narcan saves, and Morristown Police had three saves.

Boonton Township, Lincoln Park, Pequannock, and Washington Township police each had two saves.

Boonton, Butler, Denville, Florham Park, Hanover, Jefferson, Madison, Morris Township, and Netcong police departments all recorded one Narcan save in 2015.

“In 2015 there were 42 instances in which police officers valiantly gave someone suffering from an opiate addiction a second chance to seek treatment,” Knapp said. “The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office will continue to work together with local law enforcement and the community to fight against this opiate epidemic.  We greatly appreciate the support of Atlantic Health System in this continuing battle.”

Knapp thanked the police officers that saved a life using Narcan in 2015, and the Atlantic Ambulance Corporation and Education Coordinator Rory McGuinness for contributing to the program’s success in Morris County.

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@GannettNJ.com