A Florida police officer who overdosed after being accidentally exposed to fentanyl was saved by fellow officers who administered Narcan to her.
Officer Courtney Bannick was conducting a traffic stop after midnight Tuesday when she found narcotics on a passenger, according to the Tavares Police Department via Fox 35.
Bannick placed the passenger into custody, but she started to experience difficulty breathing and was choking.
When a nearby officer checked on Bannick, he saw her drifting in and out of consciousness and determined she needed immediate medical attention.
Body camera footage then shows two Tavares police officers and a K-9 handler from the Astatula Police Department removing Bannick from her vehicle and administering three doses of Narcan.
Narcan is the brand name for a life-saving nasal spray that contains naloxone, which is used to reverse the effects of a potentially fatal opioid drug overdose.
After being given naloxone, Bannick is seen returning to life before appearing to go in and out of consciousness again. She was taken to a nearby hospital and is expected to recover.
“She doesn’t really remember very much. She remembers waking up and seeing everyone surrounding her. She remembers feeling like she could breathe. She said obviously it’s freaky to see her in such a lifeless state,” Detective Courtney Sullivan told clickorlando.com.
Police say Bannick was following protocols while handling the narcotics during the traffic stop, noting she was wearing gloves.
“I have done this one-hundred times before the same way. It only takes one time and a minimal amount,” said Bannick. “I’m thankful I wasn’t alone and had immediate help.”
“If the other officers weren’t there, there’s a very chance and probability that today would be different,” Sullivan added.
The suspects from the traffic stop are potentially facing felony charges but will not be identified until they are formally charged, according to Tavares police.
Over 107,000 Americans died from a drug overdose in 2021, with 66 percent of those related to synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl.
You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.
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