Narcan is a life-saving drug meant to help people who are overdosing on Opiates. In York County it's already living up to its promise.
Officers here started carrying Narcan on Monday and just 48 hours later a police officer had to administer the drug and saved a man's life who was overdosing on prescription drugs.
"In about five to ten seconds his eyes opened, he started to be a little combative, but I can only assume that was him waking up in a strange place with a police officer in his face," said Northern York County Regional Police Officer Stephen Lebo. Officer Lebo said as soon as the call came in Wednesday night that a 61-year old man was overdosing on Oxycodone, he knew he might need to use his Narcan. This was confirmed when he arrived at the home before anyone else. "I began to shake his arm, give him some sternum rubs to try to wake him. He was unresponsive to the touch," said Lebo. The man was barely breathing so Lebo sprayed Narcan up his nose. The drug immediately reversed the overdose and he started breathing. "We've all been trained that it works, but to see it actually happen I have to admit I was a bit skeptical. I told the [man's] wife stand back I don't know how he is going to respond," said Lebo, who waited until the ambulance arrived about 10 minutes later. The weight of the situation didn't hit him until later that night. "It was really positive to see that it worked," Said Lebo.
It has been a long journey to get to this point. Since a law passed allowing police to carry the drug it has taken the York County District Attorney nearly 12 months to get Narcan in the hands of police. "So many police agencies, the commissioners, and many people participated in this and it's just a wonderful thing when you can point to something and say a life was saved," said York County District Attorney Tom Kearney.
York county is only the second county in the state to equip police with the life saving drug. The program is funded by the York County District Attorney's office.