Narkan training in Amsterdam offers life-saving lessons – The Daily Gazette

Sonnet Gravina of Amsterdam said he had a friend whose son in his twenties was saved twice by Narkan.

“He is alive and recovering,” Gravina said. “It’s been another year and a half. He’s fine. He’s beautiful.”

Gravina said her personal connection to opioid overdose was part of the reason she wanted to participate for free. Naloxone training event on Wednesday night Host in Amsterdam Congressman Angelo Santa Barbara. Training at the Century Club in Amsterdam was co-sponsored by Senator Michel Hinchey, Sheriff Jeffrey T. Smith of Montgomery County, Amsterdam Police Station and Montgomery County Health Department.

Nineteen community members were trained in how to recognize, respond to, and reverse opioid overdose using the opioid antagonist naloxone, which is given via nasal spray. Participants were also provided with an overdose kit containing two doses of Nalcan, rubber gloves, an information pamphlet, and a box containing a fentanyl test strip to detect the presence of harmful substances.

The big point was how easy it was to manage Narcan. The entire training session lasted only about 30 minutes.

Santa Barbara said his previous training experience made him feel empowered.

“Until I trained myself, I thought I couldn’t do that. I’m not a medical professional. I can’t undo the overdose,” said Santa Barbara. “That’s not true. I showed you what you can do today.”

Managing Narcan is a relatively simple process. It begins by identifying opioid overdose by looking for signs such as unresponsiveness to touch, slow breathing, or having a very small “pinpoint pupil” in the center of the eye. Then open the Narkan box and tilt your head back, then insert the nozzle into either nostril and press firmly on the red plunger to deliver the medicine. Then, for urgent help, support your head with your hands and roll the person sideways to avoid bending your knees and rolling into your stomach.

According to the manufacturer, Narkan is open to the public and 97% of insurance plans allow access.

“Anyone can buy Nalcan Nasal Spray directly from a pharmacist without a doctor’s prescription. All major pharmacy chains (CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, etc.) have Nalcan Nasal Spray in stock, so get it. It’s convenient to do, “reads the company’s website.

The people who manage Narkan are protected under the Good Samaritan Law of New York State. Still, Santa Barbara acknowledged that it is unpleasant for people to think about opioid overdose and therefore may hesitate to attend Narkan training sessions. But lawmakers said the crisis wouldn’t go away soon. New York State Health figures show increasing demand for Narkan in Montgomery and Fulton counties.

In 2019, there were 636 double-dose cartons of Narcan shipped registered. Opioid overdose prevention program According to state data, Fulton and Montgomery counties combined (276 in Fulton, 360 in Montgomery). In 2020, the total for the two counties was 912 double-dose cartons (504 in Fulton and 408 in Montgomery). From 2021 to November 5, there were 984 double-dose Narkhan cartons shipped to programs in two counties (456 in Fulton and 528 in Montgomery).

“It’s not a fun topic, but it’s a reality. It affects families, friends, and neighborhoods almost every day,” said Santa Barbara.

Overdose of opioids affects people like the sons of Gravina’s friends. Gravina said the son’s addiction began with painkillers and eventually moved to heroin. She explained that her friend’s son was a happy child, but after taking painkillers, he just needed more and more chemicals to feel “normal.”

“To reach that level, it became more and more, and you start seeing the cost of it, and then he turned to heroin, that’s how it happened,” she said. Told.

Gravina said she hopes that the stigma of addiction will continue to diminish.

“At some point, people had the stigma that, oh, they were just addicts and thought they could just quit. But that’s a lot you wouldn’t expect it to happen. It happens to people, “Gravina said. “It’s common. It’s very common.”

Due to the prevalence of opioid addiction, the need for a broader response is paramount. Santa Barbara said the law and the opioid reconciliation fund are, of course, part of the solution. But the same goes for having a partner in the field. These partnerships include sheriff offices and county officials, but must also include the general public. Therefore, it also includes training sessions such as those held on Wednesday.

“We need to keep people from being helpless. You need to be aware of it and know how to deal with it,” said Santa Barbara. “In fact, you can undo overdose and save someone’s life.”

Edward Rush, who lives in Amsterdam, said he attended the training for exactly that reason.

“I know people who have lost friends and family,” he said. “This is a small thing I can do to help, if needed. Hopefully I don’t have to.”

Andrew Wait can be reached at [email protected] And at 518-417-9338. Follow him on Twitter @ UpstateWaite.

category: Fulton Montgomery Scholarly, news