Indiana Conservation Officers received specialized training in the administration of Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, earlier this month, and were each issued the opiate overdose drug for their first aid kits.
As a result, one conservation officer in Washington County has already saved 2 lives in less than a week in Washington County.
On Monday, January 23rd at approximately 10:15 p.m., Indiana Conservation Officer Neal Brewington, also a certified Emergency Medical Responder, along with the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, Blue River Fire and EMS, responded to an opiate overdose call.
Officer Brewington and sheriff’s deputies both administered Naloxone, and were able to revive one victim.
While doing so, the victim’s brother also was determined to be overdosing, and was revived and transported to the hospital by EMS.
On Thursday, Officer Brewington again responded to another opiate overdose call in Washington County, and was the first officer on scene.
He discovered an unresponsive victim slumped halfway out of a vehicle, and administered Naloxone. Shortly afterward, a Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived and also administered the drug, reviving the victim.
Every Indiana Conservation Officer in the state has now been issued and trained in the use of Naloxone. Additionally, all specialty rescue team members are certified Emergency Medical Responders.
Indiana Conservation Officer Lt. Dan Dulin, is a certified paramedic and First Aid Training Coordinator for the DNR Law Enforcement Division.
He stated “Indiana Conservation Officers are some of the most diverse, well-trained police officers in the state.
The recent training in Naloxone use is one we hoped to never use, but it’s one more tool that we have available to assist citizens while accomplishing our primary mission of conservation law enforcement.”
