Michigan City Fire Chief Randy Novak commends three firefighters who administered NARCAN to save a women’s life. The Michigan City Fire Department fire trucks recently started carrying Naloxone, an antidote to an opiate overdose. Which is also known by its brand name NARCAN and firefighters have the training to use it.  They have the ability to assess and give this drug to individuals who have overdosed in the opiate family of drugs such as morphine, heroin, fentanyl, OxyContin, codeine.

Michigan City Fire Station #2 Firefighters, Lieutenant Dennis Wantland, Firefighter William Roddy and Probationary Firefighter Nick Palmer and LaPorte County Emergency Services were dispatched to a location in the City for a possible overdose. Engine Company #2 arrived first on scene and observed a female patient lying unconscious.  These firefighters prior to EMS arriving recognized the fact that this patient was a possible overdose and began to assist in administering oxygen and assisted in her breathing with an AMBU bag and administered the drug NARCAN.  Within minutes the female patient became responsive and they then supported EMS in preparing the patient for transport to the hospital.

Chief Randy Novak commented that by equipping the engine companies with NARCAN is just another way that firefighters can save lives. As the use of and abuse of opioids has increased in LaPorte County, so have opioid overdoses.  We hope the Michigan City Fire Department can play a critical role in preventing those overdoses from becoming fatal.