Police chief: Narcan helped revive 2 of 3 Riverhead High School students

Three Riverhead High School students were revived in the past... — Three Riverhead High School students were revived in the past 10 days on campus, two with the aid of Narcan, according to the town police chief. Credit: John Roca

By Robert Brodskyrobert.brodsky@newsday.com @BrodskyRobertFebruary 15, 2022

Three Riverhead High School students were revived on campus in the past 10 days — two with the aid of Narcan overdose kits — according to the town police chief.

The most recent case occurred Monday when first responders were alerted to a report of a student at the high school in need of medical assistance, said Riverhead Police Chief David Hegermiller. The previous two incidents involved students who lost consciousness during school hours on Feb. 4 and Feb. 10.

All three students were each taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center.

The medical emergencies prompted Riverhead High School Principal Sean O’Hara to warn district parents in an email last week that "a potentially harmful, ingestible substance may be circulating throughout our school community and accessible to students."

In an email to parents Monday, O'Hara said: "In the weeks ahead, we will be hosting a virtual assembly for students about the dangers of alcohol and drug usage and we will be offering training opportunities for our administrators and any interested staff members. Additionally, as partners in education, we will be hosting a community event in the near future to extend Narcan/drug and alcohol awareness training to our residents, families and community."

Hegermiller said Narcan kits helped revive the students in the first two cases. It was unclear if Narcan was used during Monday's incident or whether opioids were involved in any of the medical emergencies.

"We are investigating all of the cases and I am leaning toward" each "not being an opioid overdose," he said.

Also known as naloxone, Narcan can block the effects of drugs such as fentanyl, opium and heroin by attaching to the same parts of the brain that receive opioids.

The circumstances in each of the three cases appear to be different, the chief said.

For example, the first student used a vape pen but the other two did not vape, he said.

"I don't believe the cases are related," Hegermiller said.

In his email to parents last week, O’Hara encouraged families to have "conversations with their children about being aware of their surroundings and understanding the consequences of their actions."

The email made no mention of the students who needed medical assistance or what ingestible substance he was referencing.

"While the information we have about this substance and how it is being accessed by individuals remains limited at this time, as partners in education, we felt it was important to bring this matter to your attention," O'Hara wrote. "We encourage our families to speak with their children about not accepting unknown items from other individuals and to always report any suspicious behaviors or items to a trusted adult immediately."

The principal said the district was acting proactively to "mitigate this matter internally, including partnering with law enforcement to further investigate the matter and working collaboratively to develop a quick resolution to ensure our students’ continued health and safety."

District Superintendent Augustine Tornatore did not respond to requests for comment.

With Vera Chinese

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described the jurisdiction of the Town of Riverhead’s police chief.