Greenville County deputies to carry heroin overdose antidote

GREENVILLE, S.C. — With 71 cases in 2015 and 65 cases in 2014, Greenville County leads the state in opiate-related deaths, and now deputies have a new tool to help combat the rising number of overdoses.

Greenville County Sheriff’s Office received naloxone as part of a statewide grant for law enforcement naloxone administration, intended to restore adequate breathing in the absence of or prior to definitive medical care arriving. Naloxone is a medication that acts to combat the effects of opiate drugs, primarily respiratory depression seen in overdoses.

Earlier this month, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office began distributing naloxone to deputies and training them on how to administer it. Within 48 hours of distribution, deputies responded to two separate heroin overdose calls within 15 minutes of each other, according to Lt. Ty Miller.

Miller said that in both calls, deputies arrived on scene and found the subjects near death. Deputies relied on their training and administered naloxone, which was successful in reversing the overdose.

“I am extremely pleased with my deputies and how they responded in these two cases and am happy to report the incredible success of this new tool available to my deputies,” said Sheriff Steve Loftis.