Kaua‘i police revive Kapa‘a woman suffering from suspected opioid overdose with Narcan

An unconscious woman was revived last week after first responders administered naloxone, a nasal spray that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.

This is the third successful use of naloxone by Kaua‘i police in the last 60 days.

Kauai police responded to the incident on Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. According to preliminary reports, a 54-year-old Kapa‘a woman was found unresponsive by an acquaintance, who began performing CPR.

Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful and 911 was notified.

Kaua‘i police officer Daniel Ball arrived on scene and recognized the victim was showing signs of an opioid overdose. He administered one dose of naloxone, also known as Narcan, and saw little improvement in the woman’s condition.

Officer Christian Kaui arrived shortly after Ball and administered a second dose of naloxone to the woman. At that point, she regained consciousness and was transported to the Wilcox Memorial Hospital for further treatment. No other injuries were reported.

“I’m thankful that we were able to get there in time and save a life,” said Officer Ball, the first officer to arrive at the scene. “That’s the reason why I signed up for this job, to have the opportunity to help people that really need it.”

The Kaua‘i Police Department began issuing naloxone to its officers in 2019. Since 2021, there have been over 20 reported incidents that involved KPD officers administering Naloxone to persons exhibiting the signs of an opioid overdose.

Before last week’s save, officers administered naloxone to two men, who were found unconscious, on Dec. 29, 2023. Both men were showing signs of an opioid overdose and weren’t responding to CPR.

Both individuals survived the incident due to the rapid response and readiness of responding officers.

Police Chief Todd Raybuck advises people to call 911 if they suspect someone is suffering from an opioid overdose.

“Many times, there are instances when police officers arrive at the scene before emergency medical services and the fire department,” the chief said. “Naloxone equips officers with an essential resource, enabling them to swiftly intervene, particularly in time-sensitive situations where every second counts.”