Sheriff’s Deputies will soon carry the life-saving drug Naloxone with them as they patrol rural areas of DeWitt county.

According to DeWitt County Sheriff Jered Shofner, the drug, also known as Narcan, is used to temporarily reverse the effects of opiates like heroin. Quick administration of the drug can bring a person back from the brink of death during an overdose. He adds deputies are sometimes the first to arrive on the scene of an overdose.

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Narcan is a medication that is simple to administer and can truly save lives. The Sheriff says the entire country is seeing an increase in heroin overdose deaths, and the biggest increase has been seen in rural areas. He notes heroin used to be a drug associated with the innercities but that has is no longer the case.

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Carrying Narcan is just a single aspect to the battle of narcotics in the community. According to Sheriff Shofner, they continue to rely on tough enforcement and cooperation with the drug task force.

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The Sheriff says the drug is easy to administer and is proud his department was one of the first to have it on their person. He notes it will quickly become readily available to the public.

The DeWitt County Ambulance Service worked together with the Sheriff to implement to the program.