As Olean city firefighters were noticing an increase in opioid overdoses earlier this year, the city’s fire chief sought a way to get a life-saving counteractive drug into the hands of people who might need it.
In partnership with Southern Tier Health Care System and its Southern Tier Opioid Overdose Prevention program (STOPP), the fire department now offers the Community Narcan Program.
STOPP is a state Department of Health Opioid Overdose Prevention Program that provides Narcan and training to agencies and first-responders in Cattaraugus, Allegany and Chautauqua counties. Thie program is the region’s latest effort to combat the opioid overdose crisis — it works to place Narcan in the hands of patients, families and friends affected by opioid addiction.
The Community Narcan Program empowers EMS professionals to provide life-saving training and medication to the most affected non-traditional responders.