Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced deputies used naloxone to save the life of man in Bayou Blue on Monday afternoon. This is the second instance in which deputies have used naloxone to save a life in as many months.

At around 4:30 p.m. on Monday, deputies responded to a residence in Bayou Blue in reference to a 911 call of a medical emergency. Deputies were the first to arrive on scene and located the man lying in a bathtub. He was gasping for air with very shallow breathing, and his lips appeared purple in color. Deputies learned the man had a history of heroin use and used a naloxone auto-injector. Within a short time, the young man became responsive. Acadian Ambulance arrived on scene and transported him to the hospital for further evaluation.

This is the second instance deputies used naloxone to save an individual suffering an apparent opioid overdose. The first incident occurred on February 6, 2018, when a man had been found unresponsive sitting in a truck with a needle in his hand. The deputy administered naloxone and noticed the man’s breathing and skin color began to improve. The man was transported to the hospital where he recovered.

The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office received naloxone injectors from the Louisiana Department of Health’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, as well as vouchers for injectors from the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office. Deputies began undergoing training in December 2017, and many are now carrying agency-issued naloxone injectors to be able to provide immediate treatment in an emergency. Naloxone, which is sold under brand names such as Evzio and Narcan, is used as a temporary antidote to treat an opioid overdose in an emergency. Naloxone blocks or reverses the effects of opioid medication, including extreme drowsiness, slowed breathing, or loss of consciousness.