First responders encourage Narcan training as overdoses increase

JACKSON, Tenn. — The Jackson Police Department says they’ve seen a rise in opioid overdoses in the past year, but they’re not directly relating them to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, first responders received reports of 160 overdoses in Jackson. Eighteen of those people died.

“I would say 98% of those are opiate-related,” Jackson Police Department Maj. Phillip Kemper said. “Heroin, fentanyl, pills like hydrocodone or oxycodone, percocet, those opiate-based pills.”

This isn’t a new concern. Kemper says while 2020 had the highest report of overdoses yet, the rates had been getting worse for a while.

“Before five years ago, most overdoses were pill-related, suicidal-related, and with heroin and fentanyl and opioids that have really come into our area in the past five years, we’ve seen a steady increase in overdoses,” Kemper said.

One of the ways Jackson police are fighting the epidemic is with Narcan. Anyone can get Narcan, and anyone can use it.

“I would highly encourage our local businesses and family members, if they know they have someone who is addicted, then getting that training and getting that resource is going to save their life,” Kemper said.

You can get Narcan through the Jackson-Madison County Prevention Coalition or the Weakley County Prevention Coalition. They work with other organizations to host trainings for how to use Narcan as well.

Kemper hopes that their efforts, along with prevention, will be a start to solving the problem.

“We enforce the laws, but we can’t necessarily fix what drives those activities and those behaviors. So I’m encouraged that our community, the awareness and the knowledge, the resources, that the Jackson Prevention Coalition puts out from a Narcan standpoint and training,” Kemper said.

Kemper also recommends businesses keep Narcan on hand, as they have responded to several overdoses at gas stations and convenience stores.

If you would like to receive Narcan training for yourself or your business and are in the Jackson area, you can contact Mark Mason with the Jackson-Madison Prevention Coalition at (731) 694-0741.