Doiugherty County EMS seeks $15,000 grant to maintain supply of Narcan for overdose cases

ALBANY — Naloxone has been around for more than six decades, and it’s still saving lives, as evidenced by the experiences of Dougherty County Emergency Medical Services personnel.

This week the agency sought, and received, permission from the Dougherty County Commission to request extension of a state grant to provide the Narcan brand version of the medication.

“It has been extremely helpful,” EMS Director Sam Allen said during a telephone interview. “The grant we were able to obtain has resupplied our resources so we’re not having to take it out of our daily budget.”

The service initially obtained a supply of the nasal spray through Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and a grant from the Morehouse College of Medicine. Last year, a grant from the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program awarded through the state’s Criminal Justice Coordinating Council allowed Dougherty EMS to maintain a supply of the product, and an additional $15,000 is being sought through an extension of that grant.

Prior to having the nasal spray, paramedics and emergency medical technicians first had to diagnose a potential opioid overdose, then return to the ambulance to get liquid Naloxone for injection.

Now they keep Narcan in the kits they carry onto a scene and have it handy immediately when it is needed.

“It has helped us tremendously,” Allen said. “Seconds are crucial for the patient. We have administered close to 400 boxes of Narcan in about 2 1/2 years.”

When administered, the drug works like a “miracle,” the director said, with many patients who were unconscious regaining consciousness almost immediately.

Opioid use, and overdose cases, increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many individuals turned to self-medication to deal with stress and anxiety associated with the pandemic.

EMS personnel have seen a slight drop in cases over the previous couple of months, but Allen predicted that the holiday season will drive another increase as people who are isolated and depressed turn to drug use.

Naloxone is even effective against the potent fentanyl that is often found in street drugs, he said. Many individuals initially got addicted while taking prescription pain medications and turned to street dealers after they were no longer able to obtain opioids legally.

“People don’t realize what’s in the street drugs,” he said. “They don’t know what’s been blended in it. We don’t always get everybody back. We do everything we can do, but we can’t always get them back. Then we have to call the coroner.”

It is not uncommon for EMS personnel to be called to the scene of an overdose only to discover it is the same person who was involved in an overdose a week or two, or in some cases a few hours, before, Allen said. The agency encourages overdose victims to seek counseling.

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