A free training workshop will be held in response to the recent wave of heroin overdoses in the Bronx.
On Tuesday, November 15, Senator Jeff Klein will host a ‘Free Naloxone Training – Learn to Save a Life’ workshop at Villa Barone Manor, to address and remedy the heroin epidemic that has greatly impacted the Bronx since the summer.
The Free Naloxone Training workshop will teach those in attendance how to administer the drug naloxone, if they find themselves in a situation where they are trying to save the life of someone who is experiencing a heroin overdose.
Naloxone, an over-the-counter drug which can be nasally ingested and is paid for by most insurance companies, can reverse the effects opioid medication, including loss of consciousness.
The workshop will also highlight the tragedy of young adults from the Bronx who have recently lost their lives or are suffering from heroin addiction, including Nicholas Michael Colandro, a 24-year old who passed away three weeks ago as a result of a heroin overdose.
Nicholas’ mom, Carolyn, will be present at the meeting to speak about her son’s addiction, and the steps that can be taken to prevent any mother from going through what she experienced.
“I did everything in my power to help my son – I spent over $10,000 by sending him to rehab and detox programs with 100% parent involvement,” said Carolyn Colandro, who recently handed out 100 T-shirts with her late son’s picture in preparation for next Tuesday’s workshop. “The residents of this community, particularly the mothers, needs to work together along with local law enforcement to find these heroin dealers and put them in jail, because they are poisoning our neighborhoods.”
“For the last three months, there have been heroin addicts breaking into and shooting up heroin in cars on our streets – where is the law enforcement? The 45th and 49th precincts need to step up,” Carolyn added.
“This heroin epidemic has gotten way out of hand and it only seems to be getting worse and worse,” said Pat Brennan, whose son committed suicide four and a half years ago after being addicted to oxycodone and heroin. “There have been so many funerals, so many wakes – when does it stop? If I can prevent any mother from going through what I went though, I’m more than happy to help out.”
“There is a beast in our community, and that beast is on a mission – to kill your son, murder your daughter or totally destroy someone who you love,” said Patricia Higgins Schuetz, whose son Derrick was best friends with Anthony Trotta, who passed away on Friday, September 30, also from a heroin overdose. Derrick is currently in a rehabilitation center.
Patricia, who said that neighborhoods in the east Bronx have seen at least 10 heroin-related deaths since the summer, also noted that the meeting would include a secret box, where anybody in attendance can drop tips information about the local heroin dealers such as addresses, license plate numbers, phone numbers, etc. She added that anybody who drops information in the box will not br questioned, and that the tips can be anonymous.
“This heroin horror has affected all the communities in my district, which is why we have held town halls and meetings to address the situation and take action towards correcting this problem,” said Senator Jeff Klein, who added that $189,000,000 in state funding has been allocated towards treatment prevention programs, an 82% increase from 2011. “We need to help as many families as possible, as soon as possible, to bring a halt to this wave of fatal overdoses.”
