Board Acknowledges Donation of “Save Shot” Medicine

By John Holler, Correspondent

Over the last several years, the epidemic of the abuse of opioid painkillers – and the resulting sharp increase in the use of heroin as an opioid substitute – has become a nationwide problem. The impact of opioid abuse has led to a generation of people addicted to the painkillers and, too often, deaths resulting from the overuse of such medication.

At the Feb. 20 meeting of the Wright County Board of Commissioners, Shawna Athman, business manager in the Wright County Sheriff’s Department, presented a plaque of thanks and recognition to Marion Larson, regional coordinator of the Central Minnesota Emergency Management System (EMS) Region for a potentially life-saving donation of the drug Narcan.

Narcan, which also goes by the name Naloxone, is commonly known as a “save shot” – administered at the time of an overdose to bring the victim back to consciousness and negate the effects of the drugs in question – whether it be prescription painkillers or heroin.

“Law enforcement is at its finest when it has got strong community partners,” Athman said. “Most of the time, those partners are Wright County citizens. But, today we here to recognize a donation from one of our generous community partners – Central EMS Region. In accordance with their mission, Central EMS Region has donated 150 doses – worth around $6,300 – of Narcan, also known as Naloxone to Sheriff (Joe) Hagerty’s office for the benefit of all Wright County citizens. These doses will be distributed to our Wright County deputies after training in March.”

Larson told the commissioners that a dose of Narcan has approximately a 24-month shelf life from the time it is made by the manufacturer. By the time it gets in the hands of law enforcement, the remaining life of ease dose is approximately 18 months.

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