By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Staff Writer
Princeton police made their first Narcan save Thursday morning, reviving a woman who overdosed on heroin.
Patrol Sgt. Geoff Maurer and patrolman Lucas Schwab administered nasal Naloxone, more popularly known as Narcan, to a 22-year-old woman found unresponsive lying on a bench on the 100 block of Nassau Street just after 11 a.m.
The Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad and paramedics responded to the scene and transported the victim to the University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro for further medical treatment.
“All indications at the scene was that she would be okay,” Sgt. Steven Riccitello said.
Narcan is used to reverse the effects of narcotic drugs.
Mercer County spent $19,000 to arm its police departments with 600 kits of the overdose antidote in October 2014.
The drug had been used with success in pilot programs in Monmouth and Ocean counties before Gov. Chris Christie ordered Naloxone be made available throughout New Jersey.
“We feel Narcan is an extremely valuable tool for our police to have,” Sgt. Riccitello said. “Today was an example of how police are often the first on the scene of drug overdoses. With the Narcan, they can take effective, swift action to save lives of those in serious medical distress.”