Pennsylvania

Philly Discusses Arming Police and Firefighters With Heroin Overdose Antidote

The city’s Director of Public Safety met with police and fire officials Wednesday to discuss arming Philadelphia officers and firefighters with a drug that treats heroin overdoses.

Commonly referred to by the brand name Narcan, the drug reverses the effects of heroin and opioids like oxycodone. Police in Pennsylvania were not able to legally administer the antidote until Governor Corbett signed a state law, which takes effect Saturday, which makes the drug more available to the police and public.

In July, Governor Corbett also signed Pennsylvania’s Good Samaritan Law, which will protect first responders from being prosecuted should a subject die after being given the drug.

Currently in Philadelphia, only paramedics operating in Advanced Life Support (ALS) have access to Narcan. Michael Resnick, the city’s director of Public Safety, met Wednesday with police and fire officials to discuss the drug in connection with the state Good Samaritan Law, according to Mayor’s Office Press Secretary Mark McDonald.

“The city is not in a position to immediately begin distributing the drug to frontline police officers,” said McDonald. “We are working on obtaining the supply, training and developing a policy and then we will be deploying. But it’s safe to say that this is a very important issue for the Police Commissioner and the Mayor.”

As for when Philadelphia police and fire officials will be allowed to carry the drug, McDonald told NBC10 there is no specific date at this point.

The meeting comes after District Attorney Jack Whelan announced every police department and all 400 patrol cars in Delaware County would be equipped with the antidote Saturday.
 

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