NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.(WBTW)- EMTS within the North Myrtle Beach Department of Public Safety’s Fire/Rescue Division will now carry the lifesaving drug, Narcan.
Previously only certified paramedics were allowed to administer Narcan in South Carolina, however, the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control (DHEC) has approved Narcan use by emergency medical technicians with the approval of a department’s medical director.
“It’s wonderful because we’re an EMT only department so we can basically reverse their opioid based overdoses before the ambulances even get in,” Lt. Derrick Heim said.
Heim says last year Horry County was second in the state for Narcan use and he predicts this year, the area will be more than double that.
“Since April, our detectives, just heroin and fentanyl overdoses have logged 30 with 4 being fatal but that’s just heroin and fentanyl,” Heim said.
Narcan is used when individuals are found to be unresponsive, Heim says the Narcan can bring them back in less than 30 seconds. Narcan is pushed into an individual’s nose via a misting device, similar to a nasal spray.
Heim says the department underwent training this week and it only takes an hour to complete. So, now everyone will be equipped with the drug.
