Anonymous
Source: Santa Barbara Police Department
On April 30, 2021, around 0945am, The Santa Barbara Combined Communications Center received a frantic call for help in the 1st block of Wade Court, Santa Barbara. The reporting party called 9-1-1 asking for assistance regarding her boyfriend, who appeared to be suffering from an opioid overdose and was unresponsive on the bathroom floor.
Officer Matthew Carlisle and Motor Officer Edward Kasper immediately responded to the call to render emergency aid. While Officers and Paramedics were responding, Dispatcher Devyn Johnson was on the phone with the reporting party providing life-saving emergency medical dispatch (EMD) instructions to the reporting party over the phone. CPR was initiated with the instructions provided by Dispatcher Johnson.
Dispatcher Devyn Johnson
Officer Carlisle was the first responder on-scene, ahead of paramedics and fire-rescue. He located the residence and observed opioid smoking paraphernalia on the floor of the residence. Officer Carlisle brought his trauma first-aid kit with him and immediately surmised the unresponsive subject may be suffering from an overdose. Officer Carlisle administered two doses of Naloxone (Narcan) which immediately revived the subject. The subject began breathing again and became more responsive.
The subject was transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Emergency Room for treatment and is expected to make a full recovery. The revived subject had expressed his gratitude to Officer Carlisle, Motor Officer Kasper, and Dispatcher Johnson for saving his life.
Santa Barbara Combined Communications Dispatchers are specially trained in providing EMD to members of the community who call for assistance while others are having a medical emergency. These instructions, given by our dispatchers, have saved countless lives over the years.
Santa Barbara Police Officers have been professionally trained to recognize the symptoms of an opioid overdose and when administer the life-saving drug, Naloxone. Officers currently carry Naloxone with them during their duty shift and have saved numerous lives by being the first responders on scene during these overdose medical emergencies.
