The Naloxone a Kane County Sheriff’s Office deputy was carrying is credited with helping to save the life of an apparent heroin overdose Friday in Campton Township.

Kane County Sheriff’s Office Administrator Pat Gengler said Thursday that the Naloxone, the generic of the brand name Narcan^®, was applied at around 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 10, at a Campton Township residence.

Gengler said it was the first time a sheriff’s deputy has used the antidote, which was supplied via a Kane County Health Department initiative. He said police departments throughout Kane County have been carrying the nasal spray since September but the Sheriff’s Office has had access for about a year.

According to Gengler’s report, sheriff’s deputies along with Campton Hills police and Fox River & Countryside Fire & Rescue District personnel responded to the residence for a possible overdose.

“Our deputy was first on the scene and had his Narcan with him,” Gengler said. “He was preparing it for use when the paramedics got into the room, and the medics actually administered the dose.”

After administration of the Narcan, the individual regained consciousness, was transported to Presence Saint Joseph Hospital in Elgin and is expected to recover, Gengler said.

Gengler credited the Health Department program for making the antidote available to law enforcers.

In previous presentations, Health Department Executive Director Barb Jeffers said law enforcers in almost 30 agencies carry the drug, which can reverse overdose of opioids such as heroin, hydrocodone, oxycodone and morphine. The drug can be sprayed into the nose or injected into a muscle, according to stopoverdose.org. Kane County has issued it in the form of a nasal spray.

Under the county’s Narcan program, the Health Department supplied certified training from Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse to first responders.

According to Jeffers’ report, 74 people died in Kane County from heroin overdoses from 2008 to 2013.

Gengler said six overdose cases have been mitigated by various agencies since the Health Department’s Narcan program was initiated.

Illinois is one of 16 states in which more people die of drug overdoses than car accidents. Heroin is the most commonly cited drug among  primary drug treatment centers.