HEROIN FORUM SET FOR WATERVLIET
Officials say info can help people fight the opioid epidemic
WATERVLIET, N.Y. » With many local communities and the nation battling the opioid epidemic, city officials will co-host a heroin awareness meeting with the Albany County Sheriff’s Office next week.
On Tuesday, Feb. 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Watervliet High School auditorium, community members will be able to come out and learn more about how they can help try to stop the nationwide epidemic.
For the past year or so, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple has been hosting these heroin awareness meetings in different communities throughout the county, and also some outside the county as well.
Opioids are a class of drugs that includes heroin — which is illegal — and pain relievers available legally by prescription — which are often prescribed for pain relief — such as hydrocodone.
During the meeting, Apple will talk about the status of the epidemic and provide some updated statistics to people in attendance. Apple along with officials from the Addictions Center, CVS, Catholic Charities, Hope House and Albany Medical Center will also talk about where heroin overdoses are now occurring, prevention tips, how addiction starts and how to get help.
Community members in attendance next week will also receive lifesaving Narcan training. Narcan is a brand name for a type of medication — Naloxone — used to treat opioid overdoses. The medication essentially blocks the effects of the opioids, and has been credited with saving many lives.
“Sheriff Apple approached us [about the forum] and asked us to do it here, and we have excellent cooperation with the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, so anything we can do to help them is high on our list,” said Watervliet Mayor Michael Manning.
Manning said city officials wanted to participate in the meeting since he knows that overdoses have even become an issue in the city, along with other nearby communities.
“[Overdoses are] recognized as an issue. You don’t want to have to say it, but it’s recognized that it even occurs here and that we have issues related to [it] here in Watervliet, so whatever we can do to promote awareness and pro-
mote corrective action is also high on our list,” said Manning.
City officials recently said drug overdoses continue to increase each year, and that the fire department is administrating Narcan to more and more people each year.
“Both our police department and fire department, of course, through their dealings as paramedics and
EMS calls, these things are happening here in Watervliet and we need to take whatever steps we can to help wipe it out,” said Manning. “We realize that this isn’t something that happens only in one community.”
Manning said he is hopeful that people will attend the important community meeting and that they can take something from the
meeting to try to help resolve the issue.
“Again, awareness that it’s going on, awareness that the city and Albany County are working together to promote the awareness and promote how to prevent it, stop it and get help for it,” said Manning. “We want to show that were also working with our neighbors and not just push it down the road.”