Police officer needed 2 doses of Narcan after fentanyl exposure

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Newberg-Dundee Police Department says one of their officers was taken to the hospital after having a "drug exposure reaction" while responding to a call that involved drug use.

The officer needed two doses of Narcan, which Portland and Vancouver Police told KOIN 6 they carry regularly in the field.

According to Portland Police, most officers access it as part of their individual first aid kit. Officers are trained to administer the life-saving drug and the department has a policy in place that it must be available to officers at the precinct when they are processing and handling evidence.

After a mass overdose in McMinnville tied up police resources last month, their police chief told KOIN 6 they were planning to give officers additional Narcan in case they were exposed to fentanyl.

The creators of FentCheck, a non-profit that distributes fentanyl testing strips, said it's unlikely that accidentally touching a small amount of fentanyl would cause "opioid toxicity." But if you do come in contact with fentanyl powder, here's what they say you should do:

“Make sure you have 911 called, get people there who are able to help. If you have naloxone, or narcan, all of that you can do, it's not going to hurt them,” said Dean Shold of FentCheck.

Alison Heller from FentCheck said Narcan is never going to hurt someone.

“It only interacts with opioids, including synthetic drugs like fentanyl,” Heller said.