A training session in Narcan, the overdose reversal drug, drew people from all over the island to the Old Schoolhouse in Greenport last night.
Nicole Chimento, prevention director of the Pederson-Krag Center, led the session, where she taught the audience about opiates, how to recognize the signs of an opiate overdose and how to administer Narcan.
Narcan — generic name: naloxone — temporarily blocks the effects of opioids — including heroin and prescription pain medications — allowing a stricken individual to regain consciousness and resume normal breathing. Without the intervention, overdose victims often die. Overdose deaths continue to rise in Suffolk County, as heroin use continues to escalate.
The training is designed to meet New York State Department of Health requirements. After completing the training session, audience members received a certificate of completion and the option to take home an emergency resuscitation kit that included nasal Narcan.
The event was cohosted by Suffolk EMS and Michael’s Hope, a local nonprofit founded to combat heroin addiction by a Laurel man who lost his brother to an overdose. Michael’s Hope followed the training session with a presentation.
