MORRIS TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Several Morris Township police officers will begin training to become EMTs in an effort to provide more lifesaving care to residents.
“Often times, police are the first to show up to emergency situations,” Morris Township Police Chief John McGuinness told The Daily Record.
The EMT program is designed for the department to train them in providing immediate medical and advanced treatment in emergency situations.
“This training will allow us to best serve the residents of the township of Morris because having trained police/EMT on the scene early means those in distress will receive medical attention before the ambulance arrives,” McGuinness said.
Apart from already being CPR certified, officers will be able to operate defibrillators, administer EpiPens and Narcan as well as utilizing special techniques for spinal injuries.
McGuinness remarked that Narcan, an opioid antagonist used in combating overdoses, “has been great for us. We’ve used it successfully in the past. Now let’s take it to the next level.