AUSTIN, Texas — An Austin Police Department (APD) officer is being credited with saving someone's life after using Narcan on the person just a week ago.
Senior police officer Chris Frierson used the FDA-approved nasal spray that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose when he first responded to a call on North Lamar Boulevard on Dec. 7.
The victim he found was reportedly lifeless on the floor and blue from the neck and up. Frierson used Narcan, which helped the victim start breathing again, but only every 15 to 20 seconds.
He then used a bag valve mask in his medical kit to ventilate the victim until firefighters arrived and took the victim to the hospital.
"Any time an officer can be provided with something that can potentially save somebody's life, that's always a good thing because there's a lot of times – it doesn't happen very often – but there's times where police officers arrive at the scene before EMS and the fire department," Frierson said.
APD got access to Narcan for all officers in October after the Austin City Council voted to add funding for the department to carry the medication for officers to use. Officers can check out the FDA-approved nasal pray at the beginning of their shift.
"Every officer in this department and departments across the United States should carry this tool. If they don't have it, they should seek ways to get it. It's so beneficial – the benefits way far outweigh the risks, and it's a very good tool for all officers to have," he said.
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The police department spent more than $160,000 in January to purchase Narcan doses for every officer to carry.
Narcan was already carried by Austin-Travis County medics.
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