Published: Tue, 01/24/2017 - 3:29pm
Law enforcement and other first responders around Colorado are increasingly responding to instances of opioid overdose in our communities. The availability of high-potency heroin, synthetic opioids, and opioid prescription medications has reached epidemic proportions resulting in increasing numbers of overdoses and deaths. Naloxone is a life-saving drug that can stem the tide of opioid-related deaths by the simple use of a nasal inhaler. Commonly called Narcan, the drug can be easily administered to a person experiencing overdose thus providing crucial time for the person to receive further medical attention and future intervention.
This course will train first responders how to properly identify symptoms and conditions of opioid overdose. Attendees from the 17 identified counties will be trained in the proper methods to administer Narcan, as well as be provided Narcan nasal-inhalers to take back for immediate use on the street.
Attendees will learn about how to track the deployment of Narcan and about the referral systems available to offer counseling and treatment for the opioid user. Focusing on the preservation of life as our primary objective, students will also understand the importance of follow-up interventions that are so critical to aid the drug user in getting the help they need to lead a life free from the terrible consequences of addiction, and thus reducing the need for repeated calls for the same individuals.
The instructors will offer train-the-trainer content so agencies can provide this important training in-house in the future. Although LEO's from outside of the 17-county regions will not be provided the Narcan inhalers, they are encouraged to attend the training, including the train-the-trainer instruction to take back to their agencies.
This two-hour class will be offered two to three times in each location depending on demand and is open to all first responders, including fire EMS and hospital personnel. Each session is limited to 40 but if a waitlist develops we will add another session.
Note: Law enforcement personnel and first responders from any target county jurisdiction that attends the training will be provided a Narcan Rescue Kit.
Training on September 22nd and registration can be found on the POST Website.
All other scheduled Narcan trainings can be found on the County Sheriffs of Colorado website:
https://www.csoc.org