Mendocino County Deputies Administer Narcan, Saving 70-Year-Old Ukiah Man’s Life

The following is a press release issued by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office:

On 03-27-2024 at approximately 11:14 AM, Deputies from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office overheard radio traffic regarding an unresponsive male subject located inside an apartment in the 300 block of Brush Street in Ukiah, California.  

Deputies were in the area and responded to assist the Fire Department and medical personnel.  A Sheriff’s Deputy was the first on scene and was directed to a rear bedroom of the apartment. 

The Deputy located a 70-year-old male subject who was not breathing.  Bystanders advised that the subject was known to use narcotics.  The Deputy believed the subject was suffering from a lethal drug overdose.  The Deputy administered (2) 4MG doses of Narcan nasal spray and began Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).  

The Deputy noted a positive reaction after the administration of the Narcan and the subject became alert.  Fire and Medical personnel arrived a short time later and the subject was transported to an area hospital for further treatment. 

In April 2019 the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) began to issue NARCAN® (Naloxone HCI) nasal spray dosage units to its employees as part of their assigned personal protective equipment.  MCSO’s goal is in protecting the public and officers from opioid overdoses. Access to naloxone is now considered vital in the U.S. The Center for Disease Control.  At that time, the California Opioid Overdose Surveillance Dashboard reported Mendocino County ranking, per capita, 3rd in all opioid overdose deaths (https://skylab.cdph.ca.gov/ODdash/?tab=Home).  Refer to dashboard for current updated opioid overdose information.  Narcan nasal spray units are widely known to reverse opioid overdose situations in adults and children. Each nasal spray device contains a four-milligram dose, according to the manufacturer.  Naloxone Hydrochloride, more commonly known by the brand name NARCAN®, blocks the life-threatening effects of opioid overdose (both medications and narcotics) including extreme drowsiness, slowed breathing, or loss of consciousness.

The antidote can reverse the effects of an overdose for up to an hour, but anyone who administers the overdose reversal medication in a non-medical setting is advised to seek emergency medical help right away. The spray units can also be used by Public Safety Professionals who are unknowingly or accidentally exposed to potentially fatal amounts of fentanyl from skin absorption or inhalation.

The issuance of the Narcan nasal units, thus far, have been to employees assigned to the Field Services Division, Corrections Division and the Mendocino County Jail medical staff.  Employees are required to attend user training prior to being issued the medication.

Sheriff Matthew C. Kendall would like to thank Mendocino County Public Health for providing the Narcan nasal units to the Sheriff’s Office free of charge as part of the Free Narcan Grant from the California Department of Public Health.

Since the April 2019 issuance, there have now been (20) twenty separate situations wherein Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Staff have administered NARCAN and saved the lives of (20) twenty overdosing individuals in need of the lifesaving antidote medication.

In October 2021 the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office received a grant from the California Naloxone Distribution Project through the Department of Health Care Services to help maintain an inventory of the live saving antidote. This grant was renewed in 2023 where the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office received additional NARCAN dosage units for the Field Services Division and Corrections Division.

Sheriff Matthew C. Kendall would like to thank the California Naloxone Distribution Project through the Department of Health Care Services for awarding the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office with the Naloxone grants to better help protect his employees and the public.

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