NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — A Florida sheriff’s agency is using software to map real-time heroin overdoses.
Collier County Sheriff’s Office said Friday it was the first in the state to use the overdose mapping program. The agency also created a heroin task force in 2015.
Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said the technology will help alert law enforcement to overdose spikes caused by a bad batch of drugs or new types of drugs. Some can be absorbed through the skin and pose a risk for first responders. It could also help paramedics know when to stock ambulances with extra Narcan.
Authorities said they are only responding to a fraction of the overdoses and need other agencies to participate to give a more complete picture. The head of the mapping program said it’s being used by 89 other agencies in the U.S.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.