A Prince George RCMP officer used naloxone early Friday morning to bring a 28-year-old man back to life after he had overdosed on an opiate.
Emergency personnel were called to a Chief Lake Road home just after 5 a.m., where the officer, who arrived first on the scene, found man in a shed, not breath and unresponsive.
"The officer pulled the man out of the shed, recognized the symptoms of opiate overdose and administered naloxone," RCMP said. "The man almost immediately revived."
Exactly what type of opiate the man had taken was not stated but naloxone is typically used when someone has taken too much heroin or fentanyl - a more powerful synthetic version. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist which reverses the effects of opiates.
Northern Health and Prince George RCMP have reported a steady and sometimes rising rate of overdose on the drugs.
"The unfortunate reality is that fentanyl and derivatives are now common place in our community and our members face the risk of contamination everyday" Prince George RCMP Supt. Warren Brown said. "Our ability to possess and administer naloxone, gives our members an added level of security for not only their safety, but also the safety of the community we serve."
The RCMP have issued naloxone kits to all on-duty operational members to not only treat people who have overdosed by also colleagues who may have been accidentally exposed to opioids.
The man found at the scene was transported to hospital for further treatment and is expected to recover.
