Floyd Against Drugs donates opioid spray antidote to police
The Floyd County Police Department received a generous donation of the opioid antidote naloxone from Floyd Against Drugs on Tuesday.
This donation will equip officers to save lives and revive overdose victims who are unresponsive as a result of opioids.
The gift from Floyd Against Drugs is part of their work to fulfill a need in our community. Thanks to fundraising by the group they were able to purchase 96 containers that contain two doses each at a cost of $7,200.
The opioid resistance drug is delivered by a nasal spray in a one-use dose. Floyd County police received 32 containers — 64 doses — of naloxone.
The drug which is more commonly known by its trade name Narcan, is used for the emergency treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose. The community awareness group also provided Narcan to Rome Police and Floyd County Sheriff’s Office.
Police officers are most often the first to arrive on scene for an unresponsive person and having an easy to use antidote will save lives.
“Police officers are on the front line of interaction,” said Ansley Silvers, president of the advisory board of FAD. “This is not treatment it’s saving a life. FAD wants to make sure our law enforcement is protected during this crisis and equipped to protect and assist the citizens of Floyd County.”
Chief Mark Wallace said that it’s not uncommon for officers to administer more than one dose of Narcan when they encounter an unresponsive person at an emergency scene.
“This is a tremendous gift that is very needful and appreciated during this time in the opioid crisis,” he said. “It’s an issue that impacts all levels of society and we’re glad to be a little better prepared to help our community thanks to FAD.”