Health District Receives Grant Funding to Protect Local Law Enforcement
Thanks to the generous donations by Springfield Foundation and Community Health Foundation, the Clark County Combined Health District was awarded $7,000.00 in grant money to purchase Naloxone kits for each Springfield Police officer (90) and Clark County Sheriff’s deputies (25). The Community Health Foundation gave $2,000.00 and the Springfield Foundation gave $5,000.00. Naloxone blocks or reverses the effects of opioid medication, including extreme drowsiness, slowed breathing, or loss of consciousness.
This donation comes at a critical time for first responders, specifically law enforcement as they are the first on the scene to a drug overdose. Chief Moody, Springfield Police Division, stated “Officers have responded to over 512 calls for service involving drug overdose since January 1st of this year. Providing Naloxone kits to each officer ensures that they can effectively and safely collect evidence found at these scenes. What we saw in East Liverpool is a prime example of how important it is to ensure each officer is provided the necessary equipment to save their own life or the life of another officer”.
Fentanyl and Carfentanyl are powerful synthetic narcotics that are estimated to be 30 to 1000 times more potent than heroin. Majority of fentanyl reports by law enforcement in drug seizures result from illegally produced and trafficked fentanyl.
The use of naloxone, the opiate reversal drug, has been critical to saving lives. While family members and friends of people who use drugs can obtain naloxone to administer during an overdose, it is an effective tool to create a safer environment for law enforcement.
Posted June 2, 2017