SOUTHWICK – Two Southwick Police officers returned to work on Monday after being hospitalized on Sunday.
Around 10:30 a.m. Sunday June 17, Det. Sgt. Robert Landis and officer Marc Siegel were dispatched to a residence on Berkshire Avenue to check on a report of an unresponsive male. It was then determined that the 29-year-old male passed away, most likely from an opioid overdose.
Although the Southwick Police Department created a post on Monday about this incident on their social media page, they declined to release the identity of the deceased male, out of respect for the family.
Det. Sgt. Robert Landis was one of two officers that were affected by the opioid incident. (WNG File Photo)
While investigating the scene, Landis and Siegel began experiencing respiratory issues and started to become disoriented. These health concerns are similar to an exposure of some type of opioid. Both officers had .
“We train for this stuff and just don’t realize how airborne this stuff is, it’s light,” said Ricardi.
The officers were each given two doses of Narcan and then transported to the emergency room at Baystate Hospital in Springfield to be evaluated. Narcan, a nasal spray also known as naloxone, is generally used for an opioid emergency.
“It certainly was unfortunate,” said Landis. “Having it right on scene made a big difference.”
Landis also credited Ricardi and officer Michael Westcott for being proactive about having Southwick Police officers carrying Narcan on them. Landis noted that police departments in Western Massachusetts that don’t currently carry Narcan, should consider making the change to make it safer for the officers.
“When you’re walking into these scenarios, stuff can be so easily airborne,” said Landis.
According to Ricardi, the police department will be re-evaluating their procedures for officers responding to overdose incidents.
