Ocean City Fire Department Now Carrying Heroin Antidote

The Ocean City Fire Department recently completed training on how to deal with heroin overdoses, and firefighters and EMTs are now carrying the heroin antidote, the Ocean City Gazette reports.

Last year, legislators passed the Opioid Antidote and Overdose Prevention Act, which made it legal for law enforcement officials to carry Naloxone/Narcan, a heroin antidote previously only available to hospital staff.

There have been 56 deaths related to heroin overdoses in Cape May County this year, according to the report.

Last month, the Cape May County Chiefs of Police Association voted to allow all county police departments to carry the antidote.

Ocean City Fire Chief Chris Breunig told the Gazette the drug can help officials combat prescription drug overdoses as well. The antidote counteracts the impact of all opioid overdoses, which includes heroin, oxycotin and Tylenol 3, among other drugs.