11 Fatal Overdoses In One North Jersey County: State Police Alert

NEW JERSEY – State Police have issued an "overdose alert" in one county that had a 175 percent increase in fatal ODs in one month.

Eleven suspected drug-related fatal overdoses were reported for January 2020 in Sussex County, a 175 percent increase from the 4 suspected drug-related fatal overdoses in December 2019.

Narcan administration by law enforcement and EMS in Sussex County also jumped 50 percent increase from December 2019 to January 2020.

Statewide, New Jersey experienced a 9 percent increase in naloxone (Narcan) administrations from 2019 to 2020. In addition, an increasing amount of heroin analyzed by state and independent forensic labs has contained fentanyl or fentanyl class compounds, police said.

Along with this increase, the presence of opioids (including fentanyl) that have been adulterated with stimulants also increased. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid pain reliever, is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent, police said.

"The purpose of this release is to provide life-saving information to those battling substance abuse and their loved ones, so that they better understand the drug environment and the resources and help available," according to a release from the New Jersey State Police Drug Monitoring Initiative (DMI), the New Jersey Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner, and the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Below is a list of tips for identifying a suspected drug-related overdose and how to provide immediate life-saving care. Signs and symptoms associated with an overdose are:

• Slow, shallow breathing or not breathing.
• Slow heartbeat or no heartbeat.
• Not waking up or not responding to voice or touch.
• Limp body.
• Choking or gurgling sounds, vomiting.
• Pale, clammy skin; blue or gray lips and fingertips.
• Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils.”

If you suspect someone is experiencing an overdose, follow these steps:

• Step #1 - Check responsiveness: If someone is unconscious with shortness of breath or not breathing, rub your knuckles hard over their chest bone. If they are still unresponsive, call 911 immediately.
• Step #2 - Perform rescue breathing: A majority of overdose deaths are due to respiratory failure, so rescue breathing is crucial when dealing with an overdose. Tilt the head, lift the chin, and pinch the nose. Seal their lips and give two quick breaths into their mouth. Then give one long breath every five seconds.
• Step #3 - Administer naloxone (if available): Naloxone (Narcan) is a life-saving drug that reverses the effects of opiates.
• Opioid overdoses can be reversed by administering the antidote naloxone (Narcan), which is available at pharmacies without a prescription in New Jersey. To learn more about naloxone, visit: https://nj.gov/health/integratedhealth/services-treatment/naloxone.shtml.
• Treatment, prevention, and recovery resources are available in Sussex County through the ‘The Center for Prevention and Counseling’ by visiting https://centerforprevention.org/ or by calling the Peer Recovery Center at 973-940-2966.
• For information on free naloxone trainings visit: https://centerforprevention.org/rcc/narcan