GENESEE COUNTY (WWJ) -- Deputies at the Genesee County Jail had to use Narcan to save the life of their co-worker after he was exposed to fentanyl.
Deputy Forrest Bradely said he blacked out from the effects of the hazordous drug at the end of a 17-hour-shift on Friday after he gave Narcan to an inmate who had overdosed from fentanyl-laced heroin -- which had been smuggled into the jail.
"I just remember my body going numb and my lungs felt like they cramped up," said Bradely.
Bradely says deputies administered Narcan, a medication used for emergency treatment of opioid overdoses, four or five times to save his life.
"When I went down I remember someone saying 'Hey, you've gotta talk us through this, we don't know what we're doing' and I remember telling them 'Listen, I got it on me, just wash me off, get me some oxygen and when I stop talking you just start Narcan-ing me until I start talking again,'" said Bradely.
Bradely says what happened to him shows how important it is that officials have a supply of Narcan on hand.
"I think the message is to definitely become aware of it, start learning it, get access to Narcan if you can -- it definitely will save your life if you're exposed," said Bradely. "It can happen way faster than people believe it can and most of us, especially in this line of work, we believe we're there to save people -- we don't think we're going to be the one going down."
Officials say another deputy was also exposed to the effects of the fentanyl. Both deputies are okay now.
Officials in Genessee County say Narcan has saved 570 people this year, but more than 130 have died from overdoses in the county.
