RSU Police Chief Joe Batt discussed how Narcan is used to save lives in dealing with opioid overdoses during the Claremore Chamber Biz & Brew event Tuesday, Nov. 19.
Claremore Chamber of Commerce welcomed RSU Chief of Police Joe Batt for its monthly “Biz & Brew” event Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 320 on Main in downtown Claremore.
Biz & Brew is a recurring event providing the opportunity for community members and business leaders to learn about one another in an informal morning event with free coffee and scones.
Chief Batt’s presentation, titled “Understanding the Epidemic: You Can Save Lives,” addressed the role of Naloxone, also known as Narcan, in the prevention of opioid-related drug overdoses.
“My objective today is to give you a baseline understanding of the opioid overdose problem, talk about how opioids work, how to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and how to respond to it, and teach you how to administer Naloxone, or Narcan,” Chief Batt said.
“Why is it important for us to know about Narcan? Something I always tell people is sometimes we end up in positions where we have an opportunity to help someone, and when that happens, it’s important for people to know what they’re doing,” he continued. “We all have someone we love and care about, and we’d want someone to be able to help them if they needed it.”
Batt told the crowd that the state of Oklahoma had a 31 percent increase in fatal drug overdoses from 2020-21, and that Oklahoma ranks among the highest in the nation for unintentional poisoning deaths, with nearly 9 out of 10 (87 percent) of drug overdose deaths being unintentional.
“Opioid overdose risk factors can include changes in tolerance, changes in purity of the substance, mixing opioids with alcohol or benzodiazepines, poor nutrition, heat problems or other health issues, and surviving a past overdose,” he said.
As most overdoses occur at home and victims are found by a family member or friend, Chief Batt emphasized the importance and ease of use of Narcan to intervene and prevent death by overdose.
“Naloxone spray was designed to be used by anyone, anywhere, and I’ve seen for myself how its application can prevent what would have otherwise been someone dying from an overdose,” he said. “Having Naloxone available allows bystanders to help prevent a potentially fatal overdose and save lives.”
After explaining how Narcan helps restore breathing in persons experiencing an opioid overdose, he then showed videos from police bodycam footage, showing Narcan being used by law officers.
Following this, he discussed the growing fentanyl problem and gave a brief demonstration on how to effectively use Narcan, then answered questions from the crowd.
Free Naxolone is available to anyone in Oklahoma through www.okimready.org.
The Rogers State University Police Department is staffed by commissioned peace officers who meet the standards of the Oklahoma Council for Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET). In addition to full-time officers, the department employs several part-time officers who work for other agencies, such as Claremore Police Department or the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office. These partnerships help to solidify relationships with other local agencies. RSU Police serve the campuses in Claremore, Pryor and Bartlesville, and officers are cross deputized with the Cherokee Nation, allowing them to make arrests in the entirety of the Nation. All RSU PD officers have prior law enforcement experience.
To contact the RSU Police Department, call 918-343-7624 or email [email protected]. For more information about campus police, visit www.rsu.edu/rsupd.
Debra West, Pocahontas Club member (left), visits with RSU Police Officer Ray Torrez at the recent Claremore Chamber of Commerce Biz & Brew event.