The Arizona Department of Transportation has given itself a new goal this year, and it's to help stop the opioid epidemic.
ADOT hopes to have 200 officers ready to identify opioid overdoses and give Naloxone, which is a drug that reverses the effects.
ADOT officers already have a big task at the port of entry, making sure that commercial vehicles have the proper permits and can operate safely on state highways, but now they'll be ready to save lives. So far, it says nearly 100 officers are already trained.
The first training taught officers how to identify opioid overdoses, how to give Naloxone, CPR, trauma response, and how to protect themselves from opioid exposure.
ADOT Enforcement and Compliance Division officers have been trained to identify and respond to opioid overdoses. Nearly 100 officers have been trained to identify opioid overdoses and administer a drug to reverse the effects. More: https://t.co/PcT6B6yaEA pic.twitter.com/LRZCCCflA1
— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) August 16, 2018
“One of the worst feelings as a law enforcement officer is being unable to help someone in an emergency situation,” said Sergeant Sean Dalley with the Enforcement and Compliance Division. “Having the right tools and knowing how to use them is a way to ensure we are always in a position to act fast when called upon.”
Since Governor Doug Ducey declared a statewide emergency in June 2017, to address opioid overdoses and deaths, Arizona has expanded the access to Naloxone and first responder training.
ADOT is already halfway there, and just needs to train an additional 100 officers before the end of the year.
