Jun 19, 2015 By David Singer 4 min read

Where there’s life, there’s hope. Washington County District Attorney Gene Vittone said that should be the judgement-free mantra of all first responders when dealing with possible drug overdoses.

Vittone oversaw a training session with Peters Township police June 18, the latest department in Washington County to train and stock themselves with the heroin and pain pill antidote, nalaxone, or Narcan. Vittone, himself a paramedic, said he’s pushing for local police departments to reach out and ask for the anti-opioid nasal sprays that bring a victim back from the brink of death.

“We’ve had over 200 overdose deaths in the county since 2011. It’s kids who find the pill bottle, it’s elderly patients who accidentally take too much. And it’s those treating themselves after they’re hurt, they get addicted, run out of pills and turn to heroin and start shooting up,” he said.

Gateway Rehabilitation Center drug specialist Dr. Mitch West, one of the trainers instructing police on the antidote’s use, said nurses and other medical professionals are those he’s seeing most often become addicted.

“They have access to it, and when they get cut off, or run into other problems, they turn to needles,” he said.

Washington County Drug and Alcohol Commission executive director, Cheryl Andrews, said part of the problem preventing police from acquiring Narcan is a confusing and buearacratic funding system.

“To navigate between the state associations that are helping fund this, the District Attorneys’ and Chiefs’ associations, you need to have someone get it in their hands first. So what we’re doing, is our organization is buying them first, then setting up reimbursement systems with police,” she said.

Peters Township police chief Harry Fruecht ordered 14 kits, one for every patrol car and two for officers stationed in the school district.

“This is class blind stuff here. It knows no bounds. We’re in the business and saving and protecting lives. This needed to happen,” he said.

Andrews said police have been resistant until Vittone stepped in, partly because of stigma and partly because of confusion on how to acquire Narcan. The two have set up more training and supply sessions with Cecil and North Strabane police and Washington City fire departments. Canonsburg police was the first department to adopt the program in May.

“We need anyone and everyone to raise their hand and get on board with this. This stuff works. Otherwise, we’re coming upon overdose scenes where people are just splashing cold water on them, hiding them in a closet. It’s crazy, so we need to get word out this will save a life,” Vittone said.

Pharmaceutical companies are taking advantage of the trend they started in the 1990s, pushing narcotics as the primary means of pain management.

“These doses of Narcan used to be $3 just over a decade ago. They’re now $35 a dose. Two doses in each bag, plus the applicators and plungers, you’re looking at $85 dollars a bag. I’m fortunate I’m dealing with a distributor that’s selling them at-cost, but they’re running out of supply, and other distributors are selling it with a considerable markup,” Andrews said.

The first verified drug reversal from State Police troopers since Governor Tom Wolf gave a standing order allowing the organization to carry and use Narcan happened June 11 in Uniontown. Peters Township police seemed more than willing and ready to act with the drug in hand.

“We do both nostrils, right?” asked one officer.

“I’ve been around three overdoses just this year,” said another officer, “and I saw medics revive guys with this stuff. It took two or three doses, but they woke right up, within minutes. It was amazing.”