Sheriff Deputies and Paramedics Save Overdose Victim

As the heroin crisis continues to devastate Putnam County, sheriff deputies and paramedics were actually able to rescue a Patterson man last week who overdosed on drugs.

At about 7 p.m. on Sep. 5, county sheriff deputies and paramedics were sent to a home on Concord Road in Patterson after a caller alerted a 911 dispatch that another person was unconscious as the result of a suspected drug overdose, according to the sheriff ’s office.

Three sheriff deputies arrived at the house first and found the male unresponsive in the garage and showing signs of an opioid overdose. The deputies quickly administered four nasal spray doses of the opioid antidote, naloxone, or commonly referred to as Narcan, to the victim to reverse the drug’s effect, according to the sheriff ’s department. Then moments later two EMStar paramedics arrived and administered more Narcan to the victim intravenously, authorities said.

Through the deputies’ and paramedics’ actions, the man lived.

“Thanks for the fast response by deputies and paramedics and thanks to their training and equipping with the opioid antidote, the man’s life was saved,” Sheriff Don Smith said.

The man was sent to Putnam Hospital Center for further treatment.

The New York State Health Department has made naxolone available to the public at pharmacies without a prescription, the sheriff ’s office reminded residents.

“Naxolone can save lives overdoses and can give a person a second chance, but of course it isn’t a cure to opioid addiction,” Smith said. “It is up to a person who gets that second chance to use the opportunity to seek professional treatment of his or her addiction.”