JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Florida Highway Patrol has started issuing the overdose antidote Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, to troopers.
Troopers in some southern Florida counties received Narcan this week. A spokesperson with Florida Highway Patrol in Northeast Florida said troopers on the First Coast will likely get the Narcan in February, once they finish training.
“These kits, if you will, are being issued to our troopers as training has been completed,” Master Sergeant Dylan Bryan said. “It will not be issued to any officer that has not conducted the training and completed it in the appropriate fashion.”
The troopers’ Narcan will be used to revive people overdosing on opioids in addition to first responders who have been exposed to the dangerous drugs.
“Unfortunately we will see incidents happen on our highways,” Bryan said. “Whether it’s a local roadway, interstate system, or even just a major highway. And it’s just another tool for us to keep the public safe.
Bryan said FHP is paying for the Narcan.
Deputies in St. Johns County started carrying Narcan in May. The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office says they’ve administered Narcan 36 times since then.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office tells First Coast News only K9 officers with drug dogs carry Narcan. The Narcan is to be used only on the dogs if they are exposed to drugs. JSO says they have no plans for issuing Narcan to officers at this time.