Good morning, everyone.

I'm Councilwoman Theresa Mari, and today I am honored to be joined by Dr.

Nick Fetterman, president of Huntington Hospital.

Dr.

Fitterman is a board certified internal medicine physician, professor of medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell, and a longtime leader here in Huntington and Huntington Hospital.

With decades of clinical and administrative experience, Dr.

Fitterman brings an important medical perspective to today's conversation about overdose, emergency response, and New York's Good Samaritan Law.

So, Dr.

Fittermin, we know that Good Samaritan laws protect innocent bystanders who try to help in the event of an emergency.

When someone witnesses a possible overdose, what are the most important first steps they should take before emergency responders arrive?

Sure.

Well, Councilwoman, thank you for having me here and addressing this important topic for our community.

First thing, activate the EMS system.

Active call 911, make sure someone has cold 911.

Second, if you have Narcan, give it.

It's the antidote for opioid overdoses.

It is life-saving and is a very safe medication to administer.

Activate 911, activate EMS.

Right.

Give Narcan, assess the breathing of the victim.

Okay.

If they're not breathing, initiate resuscitative efforts to give them breaths.

If they are breathing, turn them on their side in what we call a recovery position and support their head.

Patients or victims, I should say, of overdose may often vomit.

So putting them in this recovery position protects them from aspirating or choking on gastric contents.

Well, okay, and that's that's very good advice.

And many people hesitate to call 911.

Um because they're afraid of getting in trouble.

Can you explain why calling for help immediately may be the difference between life and death?

Absolutely.

So New York State, like many states in this country have Good Samaritan laws.

So if you were participating in the drug use, you will not be prosecuted.

If the EMS and police show up and you have drug paraphernalia on you, you are not going to be charged.

You are not a drug user.

You are a rescuer.

Your role has changed.

You are rescuing someone's son, daughter, mother, father.

Right.

And that that's so important for people to know the fact that they're not going to be prosecuted.

I I I hear all the time as someone who represents children and dealing with these kinds of cases that most of the clients are afraid.

They're afraid, they run, and they have to know too that part of that condition is that they have to call 911, correct?

Yes.

If they don't call 911, then there can be a problem.

So New York law, uh New York's 911 Good Samaritan Law offers certain protections for people who seek emergency overdose from medical standpoint.

And why is it so important that people know that this law exists?

Why, in your opinion, is it that important?

You know, as I said, they are they are they are not themselves a victim of a disease of addiction at this point.

They have now pivoted to become a rescuer.

And they are rescuing their friend, they are rescuing someone's son, daughter, mother, father.

Um, and they, if they leave, they could have potentially administered life-saving care.

And what are some of the warning signs that someone may be experiencing an overdose, an opioid overdose?

And when should the bystander administer the Narcan immediately, or they should they wait?

Right.

What should they do?

So some of the signs of opioid overdose are they'll be unresponsive or poorly responsive.

Breathing may be diminished, shallow, slow breaths, or even stop breathing.

Pupils may be pinpoint.

But the rescuer does not need to feel they need to be a physician.

If there's any doubt, and you have Narcan, give it.

It's a safe drug, you may save someone's life.