CLAREMORE, Okla. — An incident involving a Rogers County student overdosing on an opioid has prompted the sheriff’s office and emergency management to take action. They hosted their first Narcan training class with school officials this week.
Rogers County Emergency Management staff say it’s not just recreational drug users are who overdosing, but regular people just taking their medications. It’s why they say Narcan is more important than ever.
Narcan is a nasal spray meant to reverse opioid overdose. Deputy Director Steve Massey says it’s too critical not to have it during the current epidemic.
"My personal beliefs would be if you’re prescribed an opiate, the pharmacies need to start giving the Narcan with it," Massey told 2 News Oklahoma.
Darren Peaster is a school principal in Sequoyah and attended the class. He said he thinks all school staff should know how to use it.
“We’re around kids every day," he said. "I think it’s vital for us to have that because if we can save one life, it’s well worth it.”
So does Teresa Egleston, a school nurse in Claremore. She's never had to use it on a student but hopes if the time comes, she won’t be the only one out of a few that know how to use it.
“I can’t guarantee I’m going to be there every day, so the more people that I can have that have the knowledge and are equipped in each school to administer it if need be is a piece of mind," Egleston said.
2 News spoke with Rogers County Sheriff's Major Coy Jenkins who says there's a nationwide epidemic of people under 15 years old overdosing on the deadly drug fentanyl, which can look like a prescription.
“In order to continue to combat all of that, we have to continue to provide these classes," Jenkins said.
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