SANDUSKY COUNTY, OH (WTOL) - Two weeks ago, a spike in heroin overdoses in Sandusky County prompted officials to hold an emergency meeting for the public.
But before then, the city of Fremont was already working on acquiring doses of Naloxone, better known as Narcan, into their on duty police cruisers.
"We saw a need several months ago. Obviously within the last month or so, we've had a high increase in overdoses," said Fremont Mayor Daniel Sanchez.
A gr ant from the Sandusky County Health Board has purchased 20 doses for the remainder of the year for Fremont police to take with them while on duty.
On average, at least six crews are on patrol at any given time.
"The officers are typically the first to respond on these calls. And if seconds could count, and the officers can administer the Narcan to help somebody, that's certainly what we want them to do," said Fremont Police Chief Dean Bliss.
The gr ant also supplied funds for the smaller city of Clyde, where the police chief here says three years ago heroin was not even a significant issue, but now it's out of control.
"I talked to the two funeral homes here, and I believe 20 percent of their business last year was overdoses from heroin," said Clyde police chief Bruce Gower. "So, that's a huge problem, you know, that's more than we can just ignore."
The Clyde Police Department has a maximum of three crews on the road and starting this weekend, those crews will have Narcan at the ready.
"That's what police officers get into this line of work to do, is to help people," said Bliss.
The doses cost $85 a piece and both police departments are already working to find funding to resupply their crews with more doses next year.
