The Suffolk County Police Department and the Purple Rock Project joined together on June 27 at Patchogue’s Alive at 5 street event and trained countless people in the use of Naloxone (Narcan) and distributed 352 doses of the life-saving antidote to opioid overdose.
Jason Byron, SCPD Emergency Medical Service Officer, conducted the Narcan training alongside a “memorial rocks and informational” station run by the Purple Rock Project parents Carole Trottere and Lori Carbonaro. The Purple Rock Project (PRP) supplies purple painted rocks that can be inscribed with the name of a loved one lost to overdose. The rocks are then exhibited at the Suffolk County Environmental Center at the Scully Estate, Tree Memorial and Serenity Garden, 550 South Bay Avenue, Islip and other locations as a reminder of how many Long Islanders have died from O.D. and fentanyl poisonings.
“Writing a child’s name on a rock may seem like a small thing, but I think it is a way of saying to the world that their child was once here,” said Trottere, who lost her son Alex in 2018.
Throughout the Alive at 5 event attendees were educated about Narcan and the risks associated with illicit drug use. Byron also talked to many young teens and adults about the 911 Good Samaritan Law, which allows people to call 911 without fear of arrest if they are having a drug or alcohol overdose that requires emergency medical care or if they witness someone overdosing. Police Officer Karl Allison from the Community Relations Bureau was also on hand to help with the Narcan training and answer questions.
If you are interested in sponsoring a community event, contact the Community Relations Bureau at [email protected]
If you have lost a loved one to O.D. or fentanyl poisoning, and you would like to incorporate a Narcan training into a memorial event for your child, or loved one, please contact Police Officer Bridget Topping at [email protected]
For more information about The Purple Rock Project visit our Facebook page.
