Springfield Police and EMS personnel have issued a public safety alert after responding to four suspected heroin overdoses in six hours on Saturday. An additional overdose was reported after a person was dropped off at the emergency room at McKenzie Willamette Hospital on Saturday evening.
Nasal Narcan administered by both police and EMS is being credited for saving the lives of three of the individuals. The fourth was administered IV Narcan by first responders, while the hospital patient also received the overdose effect reversing drug through IV.
Springfield Police Lieutenant Scot McKee says the rash of overdoses began Saturday morning at about 11:30 a.m when Springfield Police were called to 18th and H Street, where two people were reportedly suffering from the effects of a heroin overdose. Police administered nasal Narcan dosages to both, who quickly recovered.
At 3:15 p.m. a third heroin overdose was reported at the 2000 block of Marcola Road, where medics administered Narcan to a person suffering from a suspected heroin overdose.
And at 5:22 p.m. police and EMS responded to another suspected heroin overdose at S 54th and Main Street. A 30-year-old woman was in seizure and was having difficulty breathing but medics administered IV Narcan and saved her from what appeared to be the onset of death by heroin overdose.
Police are describing a black or white and brown mixed granular (heroin) powder substance discovered in two of the four cases and advise users to beware of the lethal substance which appears to be under circulation in the area.
