Town police, who have been equipped with an antidote for narcotics overdoses since mid-February, had their first occasion to use the substance last weekend, when an officer administered the drug to a heroin overdose victim, reviving him and averting the man's potential death, police said.

Lieutenant Christopher Vanghele said this week that police received a call from a Dodgingtown residence late on the night of Saturday, April 2, alerting them that a man in his mid-20s had fallen down and that help was needed.

Lt Vanghele said patrol Officer Matthew Pirhala responded to the home where he found the man unconscious and unresponsive.

Having been trained in the use of Narcan, which is a brand of the drug naloxone, Ofc Pirhala realized that the fallen man had experienced a heroin overdose, Lt Vanghele said. In such cases, person's heart and lungs are failing.

The officer then sprayed the antidote into the man's nostrils, the lieutenant said, and the drug's chemical action revived the man.

Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps members also responded to the scene, the lieutenant said. The corps transported the man to the hospital.

The lieutenant said that under state law, in such situations the overdose victim cannot be charged with criminal offenses.

Police action in such cases involves lifesaving, not lodging criminal charges, Lt Vanghele said.

"I am extremely pleased and proud of my officers for providing the ultimate service, which is saving someone's life," he said.

Police Chief James Viadero told Police Commission members April 5 that when Ofc Pirhala arrived at the scene of the overdose, two off-duty paramedics were performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the victim in an attempt to revive him.

Ofc Pirhala noticed a series of "track marks" on the man's skin, which are evidence of multiple heroin injections, so he administered the Narcan, the chief said.

Chief Viadero noted that recently a woman died of a drug overdose in the southern section of town.

Narcan is used to reverse the central nervous system depression and respiratory depression caused by a narcotic overdose. Such narcotics include heroin, Demerol, methadone, hydrocodone, Vicodin, oxycodone, Oxycontin, Percocet, morphine, Kadian, Avinza, codeine, tramadol, and fentanyl.

Ambulance corps members Liz Cain and Megan Posey provided free medical training to some police in the use of the new medical supplies, according to Lt Vanghele.

Police respond to calls involving drug overdoses, industrial accidents, unconscious people, motor vehicle accidents, suicides/homicides, crisis intervention, and various other life-threatening situations.

Ofc Pirhala, 28, joined the police department in April 2011.