It saves lives in cases of heroin overdose: Three more police departments to begin carrying Narcan

MOUNT PLEASANT/CALEDONIA/STURTEVANT (WITI) -- It's a tool that saves lives in cases of opiate overdoses. Three southeastern Wisconsin police departments will begin carrying Narcan later this month.

The villages of Mount Pleasant, Caledonia and Sturtevant have been experiencing an increase in heroin-related rescue calls and deaths from heroin overdoses over the past several years. As a result, police officers in Mount Pleasant, Caledonia and Sturtevant will soon be trained in the proper administration of Naloxone (commonly referred to as Narcan).

The South Shore Fire Department and the Caledonia Fire Department will be conducting the training.

Then, officers with all three police departments will begin carrying Narcan.

Narcan is an important tool for police officers as they are often the first to arrive at rescue calls. South Shore Fire and Caledonia Fire personnel say Narcan is just another life-saving tool that officers can carry and use when necessary and prior to rescue squad arrival.

The rescue squads from the South Shore and Caledonia Fire Departments have trained paramedics and also carry Narcan.

Narcan is an anti-opioid medication that has the ability to reverse the effects of heroin overdose in minutes. Narcan is credited with saving thousands of lives each year in this country.