A police officer’s quick actions saved a man’s life on Wednesday night, say Vernon RCMP.
According to police, the officer administered naloxone to a person believed to be going through an opioid overdose who was lying, unresponsive, on a sidewalk along 24th Avenue.
RCMP say the officer was doing routine patrols that night and found the man around 11:45 p.m., along with another person standing nearby.
The officer determined the man had possibly overdosed and administered one dose of naloxone, then continued to provide first aid.
Emergency crews quickly arrived, taking the responsive man to hospital for medical attention.
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“Our officers are frequently exposed to drug overdoses,” said Vernon RCMP Supt. Shawna Baher. “Part of our detachment’s harm reduction strategy in response to the opioid crisis is to equip and train our personnel in the use of naloxone.”
RCMP say throughout the nation, their officers have administered naloxone 990 times since 2016, “and it’s clear that having this option immediately available to our frontline officers can reduce the harm of an overdose and save lives.”
For more information on overdose prevention and response, visit the Interior Health website.
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