NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The entire New Haven police force could soon be equipped with Narcan, a life-saving tool, courtesy of a local nonprofit that is looking to supply pouches so officers can carry the medicine.
Currently, only K-9 and narcotics officers in New Haven have constant and immediate access to the life-saving medicine Narcan. The nasal spray, also known as naloxone, rapidly reduces the effects of an opioid overdose.
With only some officers carrying it with them, For Cameron, Inc. is willing to donate tactical pouches to make it easier for all New Haven officers to have it on them at all times.
“With an overdose, right, you’ve got seconds to reverse that. It just, it doesn’t make sense to us to not give them that tool, so that they can help,” said Fiona Firine, president and co-founder of For Cameron, Inc.
Firine and her team with For Cameron have been working to reduce the stigma behind the opioid epidemic for years. It all started after losing her son, Cameron, to an accidental overdose in 2018.
“We, Cameron’s family, couldn’t save him. Alright, we couldn’t save him. We didn’t find him in enough time, there wasn’t enough information, but this doesn’t have to be the outcome for other New Haven families,” Firine said.
When Firine found out that New Haven officers weren’t carrying the medicine, with concerns about where to put it, she found a solution now taking on the form of the Narcan pouches.
“We thought that if we offered those, if we offered to purchase those and supply them as a donation, maybe it would make it easier for them to advance this policy,” Firine said.
Police Chief Karl Jacobson said he is on board with the solution as he has wanted his officers to carry Narcan for years.
“We are fortunate in the city because we do have a very quick firefighter, EMS, AMR response. But there’s been some instances where this may have saved lives, and we weren’t carrying it,” Jacobson said.
Jacobson said his officers have been exposed to the deadly drug in the past and had to be rushed to the hospital.
“Over my period of time as chief, we’ve seen a couple officers get exposed to fentanyl and we weren’t carrying anything to counteract that exposure,” Jacobson said.
Jacobson said the union is in agreement with the idea, which has made it through the Board of Alders Public Safety Committee. Now, it must go through the full board to become a reality.
At the heart of it all, Cameron’s drive to help others with their addiction is what pushes his family to keep going.
“I think he’d be really proud. Because we’re actually taking his loss and we’re advocating to save other people,” Firine said. “What motivated us to do this is terrible. However, to be able to take that loss, and do something positive with it? That could help or save other people, it really gives us a great drive to keep going.”
The quote Firine got for the Narcan pouches was $5,700. She hopes to put $5,800 raised in a recent 5K fundraiser toward the initiative.
Firine said the proposal is expected to in front of the full BOA in December. If passed, Jacobson said he wants his officers to be trained and ready to carry Narcan by March.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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