On Oct 27, 2021, the APT Foundation offered this virtual training in how to prevent overdose fatalities. Over 20 people registered for this training and are now eligible to pick up free Narcan kits and prepared to act as a Good Samaritan in case they encounter a person who is experiencing an overdose. You, too, can receive this same training by bringing your attention to this approximately 40-minute video.

Here is a timeline of the contents.

2:15 Statistics. For example, in 2018, every two and a half weeks we lost as many people to overdose fatalities as we did to the 9/11 attacks. The numbers have only climbed since then. 

2:30 Overdose rates have risen six-fold since 1989. 

2:45 Overdoses involving opioids killed 93,000 people in 2020. 

5:00 Entry of fentanyl into the drug supply as a major cause of accidental overdoses. 

5:30 Connecticut overdose statistics

6:00 Breakdown by county of overdose trends, showing highest level in New Haven County and a recent steep spike in Middlesex County. 

6:40 What are opioids?

8:00 Ingestion of non-opioid sedatives can increase the risk of overdose, bring an overdose on faster, and interact with other drugs to strengthen their systemic effects.

8:35 How the body processes opioids

9:40 What puts people at risk for opioids?

12:10 Narcan is safe to administer. 

14:00 How does Narcan work? 

17:15 When in doubt, treat for overdose! How to determine the symptoms. 

19:10 How to feel for a pulse.

22:00 Description of a death rattle and other overdose symptoms

22:20 How to respond to an overdose: the SCARE-ME method. 

28:00 Contents of the Narcan kit available at the APT Foundation.

29:00 Demonstration of preparing a syringe for muscular injection of Narcan

32:00 Tips for administering Narcan 

34:00 Features of Narcan: A Recap

35:00 Reasons to keep Narcan on hand

30:00 Q&A with the audience. For example: 

Q: Can Narcan be administered to a pregnant woman? A: Yes

Q: If you call 9-1-1 for an overdose, will someone automatically be taken away in an ambulance? A: Not necessarily. 

Q: Can people be held legally responsible for administering Narcan improperly? A: No, the Good Samaritan law protects helpers who administer Narcan. 

Remember, most pharmacies have Narcan available, but there may be a charge for dispensing it. Anyone who goes through an APT Foundation training, including watching this video, can pick up a free Narcan kit at our Access Center, located at One Long Wharf Dr, New Haven, CT, third floor.