Nasal Naloxone Program for Public Safety Agencies

Vital Medical Services provides public safety agencies with a complete nasal naloxone (Narcan®) program, including medical director oversight and a standing order that allow trained officers to carry and administer naloxone in the field.

Our program includes:

  • Medical director oversight and a standing order for naloxone
  • Education and hands-on training for officers and staff
  • Implementation support, including policies, protocols and supply guidance
  • Ongoing oversight and reporting in line with local, state and federal guidelines

Nasal naloxone

Understanding Naloxone

Naloxone is an opioid antagonist: a medication that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose by restoring normal breathing. It works only when opioids are present, has no effect on someone who hasn’t taken opioids, and has no potential for abuse. Because naloxone can wear off within 30 to 90 minutes, sometimes sooner than the opioid itself, anyone who receives it should be monitored and given emergency medical care.

Police officers are often the first to arrive at an overdose, which puts them in the best position to save a life in the critical minutes before EMS arrives.

Fentanyl

Fentanyl is a Schedule II synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times more potent than heroin. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is prescribed for severe pain, but most fentanyl-related overdoses and deaths in the United States are caused by illegally manufactured fentanyl, which is frequently mixed into counterfeit pills and other drugs, often without the user’s knowledge.

The Current Picture

Drug overdose deaths in the United States peaked at more than 110,000 per year in 2022 and have been declining since. Even so, tens of thousands of Americans still die from drug overdoses every year, and synthetic opioids like fentanyl remain the leading cause. Rapid access to naloxone continues to save lives every day.

Protecting Officers

Medical toxicology experts have found that brief skin contact with fentanyl is very unlikely to cause an overdose. Officers can protect themselves with standard precautions: gloves, washing hands with soap and water, and avoiding touching the face. Having naloxone on hand ensures officers can respond quickly if a person in custody, a member of the public, or a fellow officer is exposed.