Nov 28, 2014 3 min read

Erich Curnow believes a new piece of legislation will truly be life-saving.

Act 139, which enables first responders to administer naloxone to people experiencing an opioid overdose, goes into effect today.

Curnow, a program specialists with the Washington Drug and Alcohol Commission, said act will also allow loved ones and friends of drug users to receive a prescription for the opioid-blocking drug and to administer it. The act also provides immunity for those who respond to and report an opioid overdoes.

“From what I’m seeing, this is the best part of the legislation,” Curnow said. “This is truly a life-saving piece of legislation.”

Naloxone, also known as Narcan and Evzio, is a life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdoes when administered by injection or through a nasal spray. Commonly used opioids include heroin, Oxycontin, Fentanyl, morphine, Vicodin and Percocet.

“As Gov. (Tom) Corbett announced in May, heroin and prescription drug abuse usage in Pennsylvania has been increasing at alarming rates, and it’s imperative that law enforcement, government officials and health care communities work hand-in-hand to reverse these trends,” state Department of Health Secretary Michael Wolf said in a joint news release from the state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs and Department of Health.

More than 1,000 first responders across the state already completed the Department of Health-approved training and are ready to carry the drug, the release said. The act was approved by the Legislature earlier this year signed into law Sept. 30.

In Washington County, District Attorney Gene Vittone said approved training will take place in the upcoming months. First, he said, the county must identify how the drug would “fit into our current first responder plan.”

“Prior to (today), only paramedics could administer the drug in the field,” he said. “We are working with different organizations to see how this will be best used.”

Vittone, a former paramedic and director of Ambulance and Chair Service, the largest EMS agency in the county, said the act will make an impact.

“The sooner the better,” he said. “This will be more useful in rural areas in the county. We just have to do some work before it is implemented.”

Washington Fire Department Capt. Nick Blumer said an average dose of Narcan costs about $25. He said city officials must decide if they want their police and fire departments to carry the drug. Washington Mayor Brenda Davis said the city needs to have a “conversation” as many questions still need answers.

She said it is still unknown how many doses first responders should carry.

“We get quite a few fire calls about overdoses,” she said. “I personally feel it will benefit first responders to have it on hand.”

Curnow said the commission plans to meet with a police department that implemented the drug into its force in the upcoming weeks.

“We want to see the guidelines they are using,” he said. “This is important, especially for loved ones, because by the time first responders get there, it might be too late.”

Training is also available to the public at www.givenaloxone.org. For more information about Act 139, visit www.ddap.pa.gov or www.health.state.pa.us.