The West Virginia Department of Health
and Human Resources’ Bureau for Public Health today announced training for
those who will be teaching first responders how to
administer Naloxone to individuals suspected of an opioid overdose.
Naloxone is a drug used to help counter the effects of respiratory
depression caused by opioids like heroin.
“Administering Naloxone to a person
suspected of an opioid overdose allows time for first responders to transport
that patient to a hospital to receive appropriate medical attention,” said Dr.
Rahul Gupta, Commissioner and State Health Officer for the Bureau for Public
Health. “It’s one lifesaving tool that first responders can have to
immediately help someone that may be in a life threatening situation.”
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin made Senate Bill
335, the “Access to Opioid Antagonists Act,” one of
his priorities during the 2015 legislative session. The bill allows for
initial responders and others to possess and administer Naloxone to someone who
is suspected of an opioid overdose. The
training, provided by DHHR’s Office of Emergency Medical Services, is required
by law and calls for first responders to successfully complete required
training before administering Naloxone.
“Our priority is to provide educational
sessions to Emergency Medical Service agency educators who regularly provide
training to their members or staff in their community,” said Gupta.
The Naloxone administration “Train the
Trainer” program will be at no cost to attendees. Classes will be held in
six regions of the state and space is limited.
Once the Emergency Medical Service
agency educators have been trained, they will be providing first responders the
training needed to be able to administer Naloxone and
to be afforded liability protection as indicated under the law.
Training
dates, times and locations for agency educators/trainers are listed below:
Mineral
Wells Region:
May 18, 2015, 10:00 a.m., WV EMS Technical Support Network (TSN) Office in
Mineral Wells
Huntington
Region:
May 20, 2015, 10:00 a.m., Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority’s
(KCEAA) Auditorium in Charleston
Beckley
Region:
May 21, 2015, 10:00 a.m., Beckley Mine Academy Room G-214 in Beckley
Martinsburg
Region:
May 22, 2015, 10:00 a.m., WV EMS Technical Support Network (TSN) Office in
Martinsburg
Wheeling
Region:
May 19, 2015, 9:00 a.m., Wheeling Medical Park Hospital Conference Room C
(Tower 4)
Fairmont
Region:
May 19, 2015, 10:00 a.m., Regional Education Service Agency (RESA) 7 Office in
Fairmont
More information about the training is available online at www.wvoems.org or by calling
888-747-8367 or 304-558-3956.
Allison C. Adler, DHHR Communications Director, (304) 558-7899 or Allison.C.Adler@wv.gov