Santa Barbara police trained on treating opioid overdoses
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - More first responders in Santa Barbara County are learning how to provide treatment for someone who overdoses on opioids.
The Santa Barbara County Emergency Medical Services Agency recently trained the Santa Barbara Police Department on using Naloxone medication.
Naloxone is used to quickly reverse an opioid overdose.
The county's Emergency Medical Services Agency regularly works with other local emergency responders as part of the Optional Skills Program, which trains people on how to become Public Safety-First Aid providers.
“Santa Barbara police officers have been professionally trained to recognize the symptoms of an opioid overdose and when to administer the life-saving drug, Naloxone,” said Sgt. Ethan Ragsdale, Santa Barbara Police Department spokesman. “Officers currently carry Naloxone with them during their duty shift and have saved numerous lives by being the first responders on scene during these overdose medical emergencies, many times, arriving prior to paramedics and fire department personnel. The training we receive, along with in-field application of Naloxone, is invaluable to saving lives when time matters most.”
Other departments that have recently gone through the training program include the Guadalupe Department of Public Safety, Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, California State Park Rangers and the Santa Barbara County Probation Department.
The Emergency Medical Services Agency says so far a total of 270 officers, rangers, and deputies have been trained on how to treat an opiate overdose.
“The Santa Barbara EMS Agency is grateful to continue the ongoing collaboration with law enforcement agencies on this important issue. Law enforcement agencies are an important link in the chain of survival at many medical emergencies such as a suspected opioid overdose,” said Nick Clay, Director of the Santa Barbara County Emergency Medical Services Agency. “The number of Public Safety-First Aid Optional Skill Providers in our system underscore the synergistic approach demonstrated to improve patient care and outcomes. By training and equipping emergency responders, the EMS Agency provides emergency responders with a valuable tool to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.”
