Seattle police have saved 11 people with overdose drug

SEATTLE — A 10th person was saved with an overdose drug administered by Seattle police bicycle officers Sunday. An 11th person was saved just two days later.

Sunday, a young woman suffered a heroin overdose downtown. Officers James Kellett and Matthew Bradrick found the 21-year-old woman unresponsive on her back.

Witnesses told police she had been unconscious for around five minutes. Police say she had "extremely pale skin, a faint heart rate and did not appear to be breathing."

She was administered naloxone, and around four minutes later she was talking in complete sentences and able to provide her name and birth date.

Sunday's save marked the 10th in just 4 1/2 months since the Seattle Police Department began issuing nasal naloxone to its officers.

Seattle officers started carrying naloxone in mid-March.

The naloxone distribution is thanks to the department's partnership with the Marah Project, the Seattle Fire Department and the University of Washington.

The 10th naloxone save also came on the eve of an official visit to Seattle by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy -- as part of a campaign to address our country’s prescription drug and opioid crisis.

The same day of Vivek's visit, Seattle police bicycle officers made their 11th save with naloxone.

Just hours after the department met with Vivek, officers Richard Bonesteel and James Coma found a man slumped against a store window near 5th Avenue and Pine Street.

"The man's body was clenched, his breathing was shallow," and needle marks on his arms were visible, police said.

Officers gave the 27-year-old man a nasal dose of naloxone and he regained consciousness.

Another recent rescue was reported in early May, when officers Matt Newsome and Dick Bonesteel saw a 61-year-old man lying in an alley. He had stopped breathing and was foaming at the mouth, and there was an orange hypodermic needle cap beside him.

The department said officers administered the drug, also known as Narcan, and the man began breathing again, opened his eyes and started talking.

The department is considering having all officers carry naloxone.

Washington law provides immunity from criminal drug possession charges for anyone who seeks medical aid for themselves or someone else experiencing an overdose.

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