By Terry Date
The Eagle-Tribune
ANDOVER, Mass. — Police revived a 21-year-old man believed to be overdosing on heroin Sunday at Flint Circle.
Police administered Narcan to the man, and he was revived, said police Cmdr. Charles Heseltine. This was the 35th time this year that Narcan has been administered in Andover, he said.
An Andover Fire ambulance transported the man to Lawrence General Hospital, Andover Fire Chief Michael Mansfield said.
Three Andover police officers, as well as Andover ambulance personnel, responded to the emergency report at 11:59 a.m., according to the Andover police log. Flint Circle is home to residences and near High Street.
Mansfield said fire and police personnel are on the street dealing with the heroin epidemic each day. It’s life and death, he said.
So far this year, there have been seven opiate overdose deaths in Andover, Police Chief Patrick Keefe told selectmen in a July 29 meeting.
Keefe told board members the town needs to hire a program coordinator to spearhead education and awareness, and a clinician to focus on prevention and treatment.
Mansfield said he backs the police chief’s plan, which covers three major areas: enforcement, education/awareness and intervention.
“We are losing too many of our young citizens. We’ve got to lead the way and prevent any more tragedies,” Mansfield said.
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©2015 The Eagle-Tribune (North Andover, Mass.)