Police Heroically Rescue Conference Attendee from Overdose During Opioid Addiction Event

Not all heroes are clad in capes. An incident outside a conference in Atlanta proves some of them wear conference wristbands.

Atlanta hosted the Rx and Illicit Drug Summit this week. The summit is billed as the “largest and most influential event” addressing the addiction and opioid crisis. It includes breakout sessions and seminars addressing treatment, prevention, and recovery. The conference is attended by medical professionals, counselors, and government officials.

On Tuesday, some of these first responders helped save a man’s life. Some of the first responders sent by Central Florida Cares Health System, Brevard Prevention Coalition, and other organizations to the summit noticed an unconscious person a few feet away.

The Cocoa, Fla., Police Department officers began administering CPR to the victim, but it appeared that he would not survive. One of the officers realized that the man had overdosed and began to use his training.

The officers who attended to the man ordered Narcan from the Atlanta Police Department and administered it to him. Narcan, or magic, worked immediately to revive the man, restore his pulse, and restore his skin color. Atlanta Police thanked Cocoa Police for their quick thinking and took the man to hospital where his recovery can continue.

“The moral is that you never know when you will be a first responder to an overdose. We must continue to spread the word so that people are aware of the signs and symptoms of addiction and know about Narcan.” Stanley Brizz, of the Brevard Prevention Coalition said in a press release, “knowing what to do could save a person’s life.”

Last year, the Food and Drug Administration approved the sale of Narcan over-the-counter. This gave everyday citizens an effective tool to save lives. The increase in overdoses has been on the rise in recent years. People need every tool they can get.

In a speech at a summit on Monday, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf praised the benefits of Narcan and other overdose reversal drugs.

Califf stated that harm reduction is another important area to focus on. This includes increased access to opioid overdose reversal drugs. “No overdose is fatal.” In 2023, 112,000 Americans will die from an overdose.

Califf said, “The federal government can’t do this alone.” “We will continue to work with our colleagues in federal, state, and local governments to build partnerships and strengthen enforcement efforts.”

God bless those brave officers of the Cocoa Police Department who went above and beyond to save this man’s life. Let’s pray for the man to seek treatment and recover after his near-death encounter.