Sheriff Deputies Save Overdose Victim in Isla Vista

Source: Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office

On Saturday August 26, 2020, Foot Patrol deputies in the Isla Vista area received a call of an unresponsive “Code Blue” (no signs of life) man down in front of the community center. A female caller was on the phone with a 9-1-1 dispatcher, while two civilians were attempting CPR on the person. Deputies immediately relieved the two men and determined that the victim had a very weak pulse and was taking occasional agonal breaths. The deputies also noted that his face was purple and his eyes were rolled back into his head. 

The deputies determined that the 56-year-old homeless man, who was known to them, appeared to be suffering from a drug overdose. One of the deputies administered a single dose of Naloxone in the man’s nostril as paramedics arrived on scene. The paramedics took over the medical care of the unconscious man and loaded him onto a gurney for transport to the hospital. As the man was being wheeled to the ambulance, he suddenly regained consciousness, sat up and began to speak with the paramedics, indicating the Nalaxone had been effective. 

The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office began issuing Nalaxone to patrol and custody deputies in 2017. All personnel are trained in the use of Nalaxone to combat opioid overdose. The training is reviewed annually. Deputies carry the Health Department-approved Nalaxone on their person or in their emergency vehicles. Custody deputies carry Nalaxone on their person or in medical stations placed throughout the Jail. 

Since the implementation of the Nalaxone program Sheriff’s personnel have used Nalaxone 32 times, with 29 of those deployments resulted in the saving of a life. There have been 6 Sheriff’s Office deployments of Nalaxone so far in 2020, all successful.