fbpx

Clifton Calls For First Responders’ Protection In Opioid Crisis

Assemblyman Rob Clifton

Assemblyman Rob Clifton (R-12 Monmouth, Middlesex, Ocean and Burlington) renewed his call for legislative action today on his bill (A3104) that would protect the lives and well-being on police officers and EMS personnel who administer NARCAN or similar opioid antidotes. The bill would require drug users who are treated for overdoses to undergo blood testing for infectious disease if an officer or first responder was exposed to bodily fluid.

“Every day, our police and EMS workers risk their health responding to drug-related emergencies,” said Clifton. “Narcan has been administered more than 18,000 times in this state since 2014. When the drug is administered, and during the resuscitation of the endangered user, contact with blood or digestive liquids is a common occurrence.”

Clifton introduced the bill after a Matawan police officer was potentially contaminated when he administered Narcan to save an overdose victim. Assemblymen Dave Rible (R—Monmouth) and Daniel Benson (D-Mercer) have joined Clifton as sponsors of the bipartisan measure.

“Emergency workers who may be exposed deserve to know if their patient is carrying a blood borne illness. Why should a responder who saved a life have to live with uncertainty about their own health?” asked Clifton. “It is time to pass this bill and give our police and ambulance workers the peace of mind and certainty they earn.”

A3104 was referred to the Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee when Clifton introduced it last February.

More from my site

Posted: January 31st, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: Monmouth County News, NJ State Legislature, Rob Clifton | Tags: , , , | 4 Comments »

4 Comments on “Clifton Calls For First Responders’ Protection In Opioid Crisis”

  1. Jimmy Jones said at 7:51 am on February 1st, 2017:

    Just more feel good crap from our guys in Trenton…first rule of dealing with medical issues…wear gloves.

    Seems that everyone know this except Clifton

    Hey Bob! What have you done to shrink our taxes?…Oh …NOTHING….look for a new job

  2. Shoregirl said at 8:58 am on February 1st, 2017:

    So Jimmy if you are about to die do you want to wait for the first responded to put on his gloves? BTW if you read the article this came about from a real incident. “Clifton introduced the bill after a Matawan police officer was potentially contaminated when he administered Narcan to save an overdose victim.” So are you saying the Matawan Police Officer that this happened to is stupid?

    Mr. Sage (who by the way still can’t get a job in the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Department) when did Clifton vote to diminish public responders’ pay by making them pay more into their pensions and health benefits? What was the date of that vote?

  3. Jimmy Jones said at 7:11 pm on February 1st, 2017:

    @Shoregirl – you obviously know nothing about how first responders are trained. The first thing you learn is to protect yourself rather than become part of the problem.

    A far a saving a life…you have no idea. Have you ever done that? Have you ever been in a situation where someone has overdosed or is injured? I have, more times than you can count. Yes, the officer was stupid if he did not follow protocol.

  4. Shoregirl said at 9:48 am on February 2nd, 2017:

    Thanks Jimmy. I guess he should of let the person die.