'Better Safe Than Sorry:' Bergen County High School Trains Staff To Use Opioid Antidote Narcan
ALLENDALE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Northern Highlands Regional High School is expected to train the nurse and athletic director on how to use the opioid antidote Naloxone in the event of an overdose on school grounds.
Naloxone, commonly known by the brand name Narcan, temporarily blocks the effects of heroin, OxyContin and other powerful painkillers.
KILLER TIDE: The Opioid Epidemic
An overdose has not been reported at the Bergen County school, but the opioid epidemic is so real, school districts are taking extra precautions, WCBS 880's Sean Adams reported.
"Ultimately our district felt it was in the best interest to be proactive on this," Superintendent Scott Beckerman said. "We've not had any overdose deaths or any overdoses at school, but we felt that better safe than sorry, and better prepared should any situation ever occur.
New Jersey recommends wider distributions of Naloxone. Belleville and Wallington have also adopted similar policies.
In Dec. 2016, nurses at Ocean County schools were being taught to use Narcan spray — used to combat a heroin overdose even if a victim isn't breathing. The Narcan sprays were administered to 23 schools, including parochials.
The Narcan sprays have about 8-milligrams of Naloxone, the antidote for all opiate overdoses.
In 2016, there were 87 overdose deaths in Bergen County, with first responders administering naxloxone 207 times.