Victoria police officers are crediting a person who helped saved their friend’s life by calling for help after the friend had overdosed.
VicPD officers were in the 1500-block of Hillside Avenue just before 3:30 a.m. on Friday when they heard a person calling for help. Officers found the person next to their friend, who was unconscious, wasn’t breathing and didn’t have a pulse. After the person who called for help told police their friend had overdosed, officers called paramedics before they administered naloxone and started CPR.
VicPD said other officers responded to assist before the person who overdosed regained a pulse and began to breathe again, just as paramedics arrived. The person was transported to hospital for additional treatment. After learning the person’s identity, officers located a family member and took them to the hospital too.
Victoria police advises anyone who uses drugs to carry naloxone and not use alone.
“If you are with someone who is using drugs who suffers an overdose, please do not hesitate to call 911 and or call out to our officers for help,” a police release said.
VicPD reminded the public that the law protects them from possession charges when seeking help during an overdose.
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