Nelson Police say a man lying in an alley today was revived with naloxone, in what has become an all too-common occurrence.
The unresponsive man was spotted by a passerby. Sgt. Corey Hoy and Cst. Alain Therrien arrived shortly afterward and found the man not breathing and without a pulse.
They administered several doses of naloxone along with other first aid, which brought back a weak pulse and some shallow breathing.
Fire and medical services then arrived to provide more advanced first aid, although man remained in distress.
Medical staff on scene said the man probably would not have survived if officers hadn’t arrived when they did, a news release from the city stated.
“It is amazing to me how routine this has become,” Police Chief Donovan Fisher, who also attended the scene, said in the release.
“Officers show up, save a life, stick around to assist fire and emergency health services, then clean up whatever debris is left and move on to the next call, after they have just saved a life.
“There are many people who would not be here today if it was not for our first responders who are regularly performing heroic acts. I am very proud of my officers and the work they do every day.”
Fisher said the opioid and fentanyl crisis saw officers respond to 16 calls over drug poisonings in one 48-hour period recently.
