Santa Barbara Main Jail custody staff save overdosing inmate

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – Custody staff saved an overdosing inmate at the Santa Barbara Mail Jail on Saturday, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office said inmates alerted the custody staff that a male inmate was turning "blueish" and appeared to be overdosing around 4:00 p.m. Saturday.

Staff found the inmate and administered Narcan, performed CPR and requested an emergency medical response, according to the sheriff's office.

Officials said the inmate regained consciousness after several rounds of Narcan, and responders took him to an area hospital for follow-up treatment.

The sheriff’s office said it would like to highlight this incident as an example of the danger of fentanyl use, the importance of carrying naloxone, and recognizing the signs of overdose which may include:

• Difficult to wake up
• Slowed Breathing
• Confusion
• Blue or pale lips and fingernail

"If you notice these signs, call 911 immediately and give naloxone," said the sheriff's office. "An individual who is experiencing an opioid overdose needs immediate medical attention. An essential first step is to get help from someone with medical expertise as quickly as possible."

The sheriff's office encourages those suspecting an overdose to call 911, pointing out that California's 911 Good Samaritan law, AB 472, provides limited protection from arrest, charge and prosecution for people who seek emergency medical assistance at the scene of a suspected drug overdose.