By 1ST SGT. CHAD HILL
Public Information Officer, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department

WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department has just finished training and issuing Naloxone, also known by the brand name “Narcan” to its deputies. This lifesaving drug rapidly reverses heroin and other opioid overdoses.

The sheriff’s department partnered with Lutheran EMS, to properly train its deputies on how to recognize the symptoms of heroin or other opiate overdoes and administer Naloxone. Naloxone is administered via nasal spray, potentially reversing an overdose before it results in a fatality. Nasal Naloxone is effective against heroin, but also against other opiates like fentanyl, oxycodone (oxycontin, percocet) and hydrocodone (vicodin).

Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine wants to provide his deputies with the tools necessary to save a life if they respond to or come upon an overdose victim before paramedics arrive. In recent years, Kosciusko County has seen an increase in heroin and prescription pill overdoses.

It is our hope this, along with strong enforcement and education of current drug laws will begin to save some of these lives.

Rovenstine would also like to remind citizens the most important thing for people to remember is they must call 911 as soon as possible for the use of Naloxone to be effective. Do not waste time trying to remove or hide the fact that the person used drugs. Reach out for the help as quickly as possible. Those few minutes could be the difference between life and death.