By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
ENGLISHTOWN – Quick-acting police officers revived a 31-year-old man who was suspected of overdosing on heroin in the early evening hours of Aug. 24.
Just after 6 p.m., Englishtown police officers were dispatched to a residence in the borough. Patrolman Adam Liotta, Patrolman Michael Makwinski and Special Officer Kevin Romano responded to the scene.
Romano was in town because he was scheduled to take the oath of office as a Class II Special Law Enforcement Officer during that evening’s meeting of the Borough Council. Romano returned to the council chambers after the call for assistance and was sworn in as a member of the police department.
Lt. Peter S. Cooke Jr., the commanding officer of the Englishtown Police Department, said Liotta, Makwinski and Romano responded to what was initially reported to be a request for cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
When the officers arrived at the home, they found the man had apparently overdosed on heroin. Liotta administered a dose of Narcan and the effects of the suspected opioid overdose were reversed in a matter of moments, according to Cooke, who said the man declined transportation to a hospital and any additional medical assistance.
Narcan can be administered through a person’s nasal passages with a nasal spray device.
Cooke said the Aug. 24 incident was the second time this resident has been saved by Narcan (the first time he was revived was during the summer of 2015) and the third time Englishtown police officers have successfully used the drug.
Liotta has been present all three times the antidote was used and twice was the officer who administered the life-saving drug, according to the lieutenant.
