Local police chief raising awareness about fentanyl overdose signs
By Rachel Hirschheimer
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NEWTOWN, Ohio (WLWT) — When it comes to fentanyl overdoses, a local police chief wants people to understand the signs and symptoms to save lives and make sure care is not delayed.
At the Newtown Police Department, Chief Tom Synan is seeing the impacts of the lethal drug first hand and as videos circulate online of first responders fainting from touching fentanyl, Synan wants to set the record straight.
“Many of them, the person passes out or faints or feels lightheaded or dizzy. Their breathing becomes rapid or hyperventilates. That is not how an overdose works,” Synan said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, skin contact can expose you to fentanyl. However, it’s not likely to lead to an overdose. That’s a message Synan is trying to spread.
“I don’t want first responders not responding to an overdose because they believe they can be exposed and overdose and die,” Synan said.
As a member of the Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition, he wants people to know the true signs of an overdose in real-time.
“They literally become drowsy, groggy, sleepy. They’re really kind of falling asleep on you. The breathing slows down. You can hear the breathing slow down, heart rate slows down, the skin changes color, because there’s a lack of oxygen so it’s the exact opposite,” Synan said.
He’s hoping to educate as many people are possible, so nobody hesitates when it comes to potentially saving a life.
If you need Narcan, safe injection supplies, or fentanyl testing strips, you can call 513-316-7725.
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