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A Hawaii police officer administered a dose of Narcan to herself over fears of fentanyl exposure while responding to an overdose call
"What the officer did was a good choice at the time with all the unknowns," Hawaii County Police Captain Rio Amon-Wilkins said earlier this week, according to a Hawaii News Now report.
The officer, whose name has not been released, was responding to a fatal overdose call when she became concerned that she was exposed to fentanyl during the call, which can be lethal in small doses. Law enforcement has yet to confirm what drug the victim at the scene fatally overdosed on.
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Narcan nasal spray. (Fox News)
While officers do wear gloves and masks when responding to calls of that nature, there have been cases in which they have accidentally been exposed to the drugs through contact with their clothing or eyes.
The overdose drug Narcan is made available to first responders across the state of Hawaii, with the officer falling ill after the call and making the decision to self-administer the dose before going to the hospital for further treatment.
"You never can be too cautious… especially with fentanyl. Such a small amount can be deadly," Amon-Wilkins said.
Fentanyl overdoses have been on the rise throughout the country, putting police and first responders on the front lines of the opioid crisis when responding to potential emergencies related to the drug.
Rainbow-colored fentanyl. (U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon)
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Robert Cavaco, the president of the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, said the widespread increase of fentanyl-related incidents makes it vital for responding officers to act safely.
"You have to take that precaution going in," Cavaco said.
The officer has since been released from the hospital and returned to duty.
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