Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano and County Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton will join with Port Washington Police and St. Francis Hospital to invite residents to attend a free Overdose Prevention Workshop on Nov. 8 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the hospital’s DeMatteis Center, located at 101 Northern Blvd in Greenvale.
Attendees will be trained to administer Narcan, which can reverse the fatal effects of an overdose on heroin, or prescription meds such as oxycodone and Vicodin. Attendees learn the warning signs of drug addiction, new and effective treatment options, personal stories of recovery, and more. A free nasal Narcan kit is provided to each trainee.
“It’s not just heroin that’s causing the overdose deaths on Long Island each day—it’s also misuse and abuse of prescription pain pills,” Mangano said. “Residents need to become educated about the disease of addiction, and can do so by attending our free workshop. I encourage everyone, 18 years of age and older, to take advantage of this opportunity that could save a loved one’s life and give them a chance at recovery.”
So far this year, at least 22 trainees used the Narcan they were given to save the life of someone overdosing on Heroin or prescription pain pills. In all, Nassau officials have trained more than 9,100 civilians to administer the overdose antidote, since becoming state certified in September 2012.
In addition to thousands of non-medically trained civilians, the County’s trainees include school nurses, athletic directors, pharmacists, auxiliary and probation officers, firefighters and 911 dispatch operators.
At least 195 Nassau residents died from opioid overdoses in 2016. Naloxone—the main ingredient in Narcan—has been used by paramedics and emergency room doctors for decades to save lives, but a 2006 State law allows citizens to administer Narcan in an attempt to save a life, without fear of liability.
All residents are welcome to attend, but seating is limited. To attend the two-hour seminar provided by the Nassau County Department of Human Services, please RSVP at www.nassaucountyny.gov/overdosetraining For dates and locations of additional Overdose Prevention Seminars, visit www.nassaucountyny.gov/overdose.
