Most people know of, or have at least heard, of Fentanyl: the super powered opiate that supposedly can be laced into candy? Yeah. That. After a recent incident involving a toddler overdose in a Portland parking garage, it has become a controversial subject, and with Halloween fast approaching, it is soon to be at the forefront of many parents’ minds. 

Summit Nurse Pam Orton is one of Summit’s staff members trained to deal with drug and alcohol abuse. “To date, we have not had any fentanyl related incidents on campus at Summit. That being said, it is always on my mind and I am thankful that our school has the tools and training we need to respond to a fentanyl related incident on campus, if necessary,” said Orton. 

Every year, Orton trains all Summit staff on how to recognize and treat an opiate overdose, in addition to how to administer Narcan. The training also includes key signs to look for in an opiate overdose, as well as the protocols for calling 911 and a review of CPR. This enables all staff to be able to respond in an emergency and adds that many more trained life-savers to our community. 

Narcan (Naloxone) is a rapid opiate overdose reversal drug. It comes in two forms, a nasal spray and an injection. Summit exclusively uses the nasal spray option and it can be found in all AED (automated external defibrillator) boxes and in nurse Pam’s office. 

That being said, the best way for students to stay informed is to just ask. “All youth need to know about the dangers of fentanyl so that they can keep themselves safe and make healthy choices. There is no such thing as a ‘safe source’ when it comes to pills,” said Orton.

Summit is lucky to not have had any major drug related incidents. SRO (School Resource Officer) Dan Koehnke said, “I started being the SRO in March of this year. In that time, I have not come across any fentanyl use or possession on school property. That doesn’t mean that Summit students aren’t coming into contact with the drug but at least not on school grounds.” 

In Koehnke’s time here, he has only seen minimal marajuana and alcohol use or possession and he  “…[relies] upon our other students to report drug use/possession so it can be dealt with.”

With incidents such as the toddler overdose in Portland being a reality, Summit is lucky to have such solid resources and people with the knowledge and training to keep our school safe.