Officer's split-second decision saves the life of a local man

Quick action by Officer Claudio Garza and Sgt. Aaron Garza with the Othello Police Department led to the successful revival of an overdose victim last Thursday evening.

The two responded to a medical call at the 200 block of East Hemlock Street at approximately 8:25 p.m. and located an unconscious male who had shallow breathing and whose health was quickly fading.

The decision was then made to administer Narcan (naloxone hydrochloride), which is an FDA-approved life-saving medication that can stop or reverse the effects of an overdose from opioids such as heroin, morphine, fentanyl, codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, meperidine and methadone.

Upon doing so, the man was able to regain consciousness.

“The Narcan we use is in the form of a nasal spray,” Assistant Chief of Police David Rehaume said. “When officers come across a situation of a suspected overdose either by physical evidence laying at the scene or prior knowledge of the individual we can administer the Narcan. It’s actually pretty fast acting.”

In this incident, however, Rehaume said the officers had to use three Narcan containers to resuscitate the man.

“It revived him two of the three times,” he said. “The first time there was no effect, but it doesn’t hurt to give another administration of the nasal spray and that’s what revived him.”

Officers then carried the man to an ambulance where he was transported to Othello Community Hospital for treatment.

“He was at the hospital for several hours and then released and able to go home.”

This was the first time OPD has used Narcan. The successful revival of the overdosed individual left all at the OPD proud of its responding officers.

“They had the tools, took quick action and did the life saving – it’s not something they had to call in and ask about,” Rehaume said. “We are very happy this event ended successfully.”