Pubdate: Mon, 16 May 2016
Source: Hartford Courant (CT)
Copyright: 2016 The Hartford Courant
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/IpIfHam4
Website: http://www.courant.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/183
Author: Nicholas Rondinone

L+M HOSPITAL OFFERS POLICE DEPARTMENTS SOURCE OF CRUCIAL OPIOID OVERDOSE DRUG

Time is critical as respiration depresses from a potentially lethal
dose of heroin, or possibly a cocktail including other opioids.

For those first on scene, they need access naloxone to quickly get the
victim breathing again. Monday, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New
London, which has seen a growing number of overdose patients,
announced they will provide some municipal police departments with
this drug for a year.

"Hospital leadership believed it was extremely important to get Narcan
into the hands of first responders now," said Ron Kersey, the
hospital's long-time EMS coordinator, in a statement. "There isn't the
time for budget requests and grant submissions. They need the
[naloxone] now because people are dying. The first day this Narcan was
available to the Waterford Police Department, they saved a life."

Waterford was the first police department to receive the drug this
spring, and immediately put it to use. Officials said within two days,
they administered naloxone to three people.

"Their donation of this life-saving medication paid off the day we
received it," Chief Brett Mahoney reported. "We appreciate L+M's
enthusiasm with this initiative in a time when municipal budgets are
strained."

Hospital officials said on Monday that towns including East Lyme,
Ledyard, as well as both Groton Town and Groton City police
departments have requested doses. Delivery is imminent.

Early this year, L+M admitted more than two dozen patients in about a
week's time for heroin overdoses. In the intervening time, officials
from across the area have been banding together to address the problem.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D