LUDLOW, Vt. – The impact of drug addiction and its related overdose problem was the subject of a recent Ludlow Rotary Club (LRC) meeting. Alastair Huntley, AmeriCorps alumnus and a harm reduction advocate, spoke to the members of the LRC about the purpose of Narcan, also known as naloxone, a drug for restoring breathing to an overdosed person.
Huntley, introduced by Melanie Gulde, a LRC Rotarian and program director of Divided Sky, located in Ludlow, addressed the key questions of identifying someone suffering from an overdose, how to prepare the person for Narcan, and the need for quick contact to 911. He outlined the important sequence needed to ensure that the Narcan was delivered: (1) check to see that it was an overdose, (2) immediately contact 9-1-1, (3) administer the Narcan, (4) position the victim properly, (5) support the victim until 911 arrives.
He noted that there were a variety of overdose signs to check for, chief among them being the inability to breath. This will result in a lack of blood being pumped through the body. One quick way to see this is via the fingernails, which, when blood is slowed, will turn blue.
Huntley stressed the importance of contacting 911 to get medical assistance as quickly as possible.
The Narcan is a very simple matter to administer. It is contained in a small pump, which is pressed into the nostrils of the victim. Immediately after administering the Narcan, the victim should be lain on his or her side to help breathing return to normal.
The final step is important to ensure the victim remains in the correct position until 911 arrives.
Narcan is available from many health and drug avoidance programs. Huntley distributed Narcan kits to the LRC members. Information is available by calling a national help line at 1-800-662-4357, or at the Vermont Health website at www.healthvermont.gov/emergency/injury-prevention/opioid-overdose-prevention.
During the meeting, Gulde was presented the Paul Harris Fellow award for her service to Rotary and efforts concerning addiction problems and recovery.