TD Police Sgt. Doug Kramer reverses overdose with quick actions
The Dalles Police Chief Tom Worthy presented a Lifesaving Award to Sgt. Doug Kramer at The Dalles City Council meeting on June 27.
By Rodger Nichols
At The Dalles City Council meeting on June 27, 2022, The Dalles Police Chief Tom Worthy presented a Lifesaving Award to Sgt. Doug Kramer for his response to an overdose incident.
Chief Worthy said the award was one of the highest an officer can receive. Here's how he described the incident:
"On June 2nd, 2022, just after noon, Sgt. Kramer responded to a report of an overdose on East Ninth Street. Sgt. Kramer responded to the location and quickly entered the residence and saw a woman attempting to provide CPR to an unresponsive male adult.
The victim's face was turning purple and there was burnt tinfoil lying at the fingers of the male subject, which was indicative of drug use. Sgt. Kramer recognized these indicators of a drug overdose and that the victim's life was in grave peril.
NARCAN nasal spray
“Sgt. Kramer is trained in the use of Narcan. He carries Narcan on his person, as do all officers of The Dalles Police Department.”
NARCAN is a potentially lifesaving medication designed to help reverse the effects of an opioid overdose in minutes.
Sgt. Kramer quickly administered one dose of Narcan to the unresponsive male. Immediately the male subject took a deep breath and began to breathe.
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Medical personnel arrived on the scene and assisted Sgt. Kramer in removing the subject from the bathroom he was in.
As they were caring for the subject, Sgt. Kramer saw the man’s eyes begin to flutter and his hands began to move. The male subject looked panicked and shocked. and Sgt. Kramer calmed him down and explained what had happened.”
“He continued to assist the victim until his care was transferred to medical personnel.”
“ Sgt. Kramer is receiving this lifesaving award based on his actions taken on June 2nd, 2022,” said Worthy. “If it were not for the quick actions and efforts of Sgt. Kramer, it's possible this could have been a fatal overdose of fentanyl. For those actions, he is receiving a Dalles Police Department Lifesaving Award."
