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BRIDGTON — Forty-five area residents recently completed training sponsored by the Lakes Region Substance Abuse Coalition to assist in preventing community opioid overdose deaths.
The training was conducted at Bridgton Alliance Church in collaboration with Bridgton Police Department, Portland Public Health, United Ambulance Service and LRSAC volunteers.
Participants learned how to safely and appropriately respond to a potential opioid overdose incident — checking patient’s responsiveness and breathing, calling 911 for help, about how naloxone (trade name Narcan) works and how to administer it, and how to render compression CPR while waiting for first responders to arrive.
Residents of Bridgton, Casco, Denmark, Fryeburg, Naples, Raymond and Sweden took part in the training, including representatives from the American Legion, Birthwise Midwifery School, Bridgton Alliance Church, Bridgton Hospital Guild, Bridgton Library Friends, Bridgton Police Department, Bridgton Public Health, Fryeburg Public Schools, Girl Scouts, Lake Region Baptist Church, Lakes Region Substance Abuse Coalition, Maine Naturopath, Portland Public Health, Rotary Club, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Knights of Columbus, Spa Tech Institute and United Ambulance Service.
Lizzy Garnatz, a licensed clinical social worker from Portland Public Health, and Daphne Russell, AAS/EMT-PCP, from United Ambulance Service, led the training.
The training may be offered again in the near future, based on community interest.
LRSAC works to facilitate community action, create meaningful strategic partnerships and recognize progress toward achieving community-wide prevention, treatment, policy and enforcement goals to help stem the tide of opioid tragedies.
LRSAC is always looking for ideas to implement or a success story to share. Follow on Facebook at LRSACMaine, send an email lrsacoalition@gmail.com, call 207-803-9987 or attend the monthly meetings held 4:30-6 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at Bridgton Municipal Complex on Iredale Street.
