The Westbrook police and fire departments said Tuesday that they had responded to three drug overdoses since Monday and in each case saved a life by administering Narcan.

“In all three instances, rescue personnel had to use a high dosage of Narcan to revive the subjects,” said a statement on the Westbrook Police Department’s Facebook page. “We urge people to get help, and to call one of the numbers in our attached substance abuse resource card.”

Narcan has become standard equipment for many rescue squads around the state as they encounter more opiate overdose cases. An emergency kit includes a cone-shaped adapter that's placed in the nose to turn the liquid Narcan into a spray that helps the person start breathing again.
Narcan has become standard equipment for many rescue squads around the state as they encounter more opiate overdose cases. An emergency kit includes a cone-shaped adapter that's placed in the nose to turn the liquid Narcan into a spray that helps the person start breathing again.

The department’s Facebook page lists phone numbers for treatment organizations and three hotline numbers. A person can dial 211 from any phone to link to local services; 774-HELP is available 24 hours a day for persons in crisis; and 458-4366 connects the caller to the Maine Alliance for Addiction Recovery.

The Legislature passed a bill in the last session that will allow pharmacists to dispense Narcan without a prescription.

filed under:
maine
Related Stories
Latest Articles