Toccoa Looking To Get Opioid Prevention Drug

The city of Toccoa is working towards equipping its police and fire departments with a supply of a drug that could help save the life of someone who has overdosed on opioids.

It is called Project DAN, which stands for Deaths Avoided By Naloxone.

Toccoa City Manager Billy Morse said that through Project DAN, the Medical Association of Georgia is offering the city of Toccoa a grant for the purchase of the nasal form of Naloxone and training for police and fire on how to properly administer the drug.

“Naloxone is a medication temporarily used to block the effects of opioids,” said Morse. “When administered in the nasal form, known as Narcan, within minutes, it temporarily reverses the effects of drugs such as heroin, morphine, and other drugs made from opium.”

Ruben Black is the Training Coordinator for Project DAN.

He said 10 lives have already been saved through this effort, including one in Habersham County last December when the drug was administered successfully to a person suffering from a drug overdose.

Other area agencies equipped with Narcan include the Lavonia Police Department and Stephens County Sheriff’s Office.

Black said the reward can be very high by saving a life, but the risk is low as Narcan is a safe drug if administered accidentally to someone not having an overdose.

“I can give all of you a dose of Naloxone up the nose and the worst that can happen is an upset stomach,” said Black.

Black said that they train the officers on what to look for to administer the drug, but adds that they are told to give the drug when in doubt to be safe.

Also, Toccoa Police Chief Tim Jarrell said his officers have received training on how to deal with someone coming out of an overdose on this drug.

Jarrell said it is something he feels the police department needs to have moving forward.

“With the abundance of opioid drugs within a community, it creates the opportunity for their misuse,” said Jarrell. “Other agencies have taken advantage of this opportunity and we, as a community, should be on board in case an incident was to occur.”

Each police officer would be equipped with a dose through the grant, as would each Toccoa Fire Department truck.

City commissioners approved a first reading of the proposal at their meeting on Monday and will have the city attorney review all the legalities before granting final approval to move forward.