Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre reported deputies used naloxone to save the life of a Thibodaux man who is believed to have suffered an opioid overdose on Thursday morning.

At around 11:20 a.m. on April 11, 2019, a father arrived home and found his 30-year-old son unconscious outside his home. The man had shallow breathing and a syringe was found lying on the ground next to him. Upon arrival and recognizing a possible opioid overdose, deputies administered naloxone to the man who began to show minimal signs of improvement. After a short time, deputies administered a second dose of naloxone, and the man began to recover. He was transported to a local hospital for further treatment.

Naloxone HCl, which is sold under brand names such as Narcan and Evzio, is used as a temporary antidote to treat an opioid overdose. The Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office initially obtained naloxone injectors at no cost to the agency in November 2017 from the Louisiana Department of Health’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office. The LPSO has since acquired naloxone nasal spray applicators through a grant South Central Louisiana Human Services Authority. Many deputies carry the agency-issued naloxone applicators after undergoing proper training for use.