Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin recently announced police officers throughout Lehigh County and detectives with various task forces would soon be using the opioid reversal antidote, naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, in overdose cases.

“Currently, opiate overdose is the leading cause of accidental deaths in Lehigh County,” Martin said.

Martin said in 2015, Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim investigated 103 drug deaths, of which 35 were heroin or synthetic drug related.

Opiates and opioids include morphine, heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, Percocet, Percodan, methadone, codeine and hydrocodone.

“When certain requirements are met, detectives and officers who have been trained will be able to administer naloxone to individuals experiencing an opioid-related overdose,” Martin said. “This program will save lives and combat the destructive affects that overdoses have on families and our communities.”

Martin said South Whitehall, Upper Macungie, Slatington, Alburtis, Bethlehem, Catasauqua, Coopersburg, Coplay, Emmaus, Fountain Hill, Macungie, Salisbury, Upper Saucon, Lower Milford and Whitehall townships have entered into a memorandum of understanding with the district attorney’s office on using naloxone.

Martin expects the Allentown Police Department to join in the future.

Once officers undergo required training, the department will receive its supply of naloxone, Martin said.

This program was established in conjunction with the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association, Capital BlueCross and the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol programs, Martin stated.

He said the district attorneys association received a grant from Capital BlueCross to help attorneys in the 21 counties in which it does business to acquire a supply of naloxone for their police departments.

Capital BlueCross Senior Vice President for Business Development Aji M. Abraham addressed the gathering.

“BlueCross views opioid overdoses as a health crisis,” he explained. “It is an illness and doctors will tell you it is treatable and this is one step in that process.

“We were the first health insurance last year to sponsor this with $50,000.

“This year we are happy to announce we are doubling that amount ($100,000) because we have seen the program work.”

A grant also was received from the Dorothy Rider Pool Health Care Trust for the training and acquisition of naloxone kits, Martin said.

He said additional funds have recently been made available to enable the purchase of more naloxone and he would like to include campus police and the Department of Probation and Parole in the program early this year.

Martin said designated police officers will have two doses of the prescription drug at the beginning of their shifts and will return unused doses at the end of their shifts. When an officer uses the drug, the officer will submit a report.

Quarterly reports on deployment and use of naloxone will be submitted to the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association so the effectiveness of the program can be evaluated, Martin stated.

Martin said officers from police departments supplied with naloxone (to be administered via nasal spray) will have undergone training with Cetronia Ambulance.

Larry A. Wiersch, chief executive officer with Cetronia commented on the program.

“Year-to-date we have administered naloxone nearly 100 times within the communities we serve on the 911 side,” Wiersch said. “By having the police have this tool in hand, it is incredibly important for us because they often times will beat us there or they will get there at the same time.

“Having people trained and knowledgeable with the ability to do what we do will ultimately end up with many more lives saved.”