Toms River EMTs First in N.J. to Save Patient Using Narcan

The Toms River Township Office of Emergency Management EMS Division is the first EMS Agency in the State to administer Narcan in order to save the life of an unresponsive drug overdose victim, officials announced.

Narcan, also known as naloxone, is a drug that temporarily reverses the effects of opiates such as heroin. It was put on the fleet of the ambulances just five hours earlier.

Toms River Township EMT Frank Civitano said emergency medical technicians administered Narcan to an unidentified male in his late 20s, at a township residence on April 24 at about 4:11 p.m.

When EMTs arrived, the individual was in cardiac arrest and CPR was being performed by the Toms River Police Department, Civitano said. Once EMS administered Narcan, the individual regained consciousness and was transported by ambulance to Kimball Medical Center in Lakewood.

“It was a great feeling to see a person recover and to save someone’s life. I’m thankful that we have Narcan on all of our Township ambulances,” said Civitano, in a prepared statement.

Paul Daley, the Township’s Emergency Management Coordinator and Director of EMS, said drug overdoses have increased significantly over the last few years. In 2013, the Township EMS responded to 182 overdoses, many of which could have been reversed by Narcan.

“We are the first EMS agency in New Jersey to use Narcan and our hope is that before long all EMS agencies in the state follow suit,” said Daley.

In order to qualify to carry Narcan, the township’s EMTs were required to complete a course of instruction approved by the state Department of Health and the EMS program medical director, Dr. Lawrence DesRochers. Kevin Monagahn, the Township’s EMS Supervisor ordered the drug and had all EMTs trained in five days.

Volunteer squads in the township are currently training with Narcan and will also soon be equipped with it.