PORTSMOUTH, R.I. -- Portsmouth firefighters and emergency medical technicians saved the life of a 19-year-old woman who had apparently overdosed on heroin Saturday morning, according to Portsmouth Fire Chief Michael Cranson.
Firefighters administered Naloxone, also known as Narcan, a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. As she was being taken to Newport Hospital, the woman was offered and accepted the assistance of a "recovery coach," the Fire Department said in a press release.
“This is the type of service we strive for; these responders continually train and prepare themselves to deliver the highest level of care possible. I am grateful that they were able intervene and save this young woman’s life,” Chief Michael Cranson said in the press release.
It was the first instance in which a recovery coach was offered to an overdose patient in Portsmouth, the press release said.
"The Rhode Island Department of Health has provided addiction recovery resources to first responders to offer to patients with addiction," the press release said. "Governor Raimondo’s Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force has recommended the practice of matching drug overdose victims with recovery coaches as soon as possible."
The Fire Department received the report of an unresponsive female at 11:50 a.m. Saturday. She was not identified in the press release, nor was the location of the call.
The firefighter/EMTs inserted an oral airway device into the patient and began breathing using a bag valve mask, the press release said. Then they administered a dose of Naloxone and the patient responded immediately.
The chief complimented the work of the following department members: Lt. Michael Pinksaw and firefighter Kyle Tiexiera; Capt. Howard Tighe, firefighter Brian Baker and firefighter Ryan Gill.
Deputy Chief Mike O’Brien said, “Portsmouth has not been immune to the opiate epidemic; over the last 3 years we have responded to about 125 overdose emergencies and administered Narcan on nearly 50 occasions. As a community, we must be aware of the problem and not fool ourselves into believing this isn’t happening here."
———
©2016 The Providence Journal (Providence, R.I.)
Visit The Providence Journal (Providence, R.I.) at www.projo.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.R
