INNISFAIL - Seven months on the beat and peace officer Brandi Gray has quickly put the spotlight on the compassionate and heroic side of law enforcement.
In doing so the 22-year-old is being praised as a life-saving hero.
"We have a young employee that is put in a position of significant responsibility. She did not waver when challenged with a situation. She responded collectively and saved somebody's life," said Todd Becker, the town's chief administrative officer. "I am very proud as CAO to have staff that can respond to situations like that."
Gray was presented to council by her boss Gary Leith, the town's fire chief and fire and protective services manager, at its regular meeting on April 23.
Leith told council the peace officer, who arrived in town last October after a two-year stint as a correctional officer at the Edmonton Remand Centre, had done something truly extraordinary while on patrol on March 22.
Gray had driven up to a gas station on the east side of town and saw a man, who had parked his car, waving his hands. The man told the peace officer he was with a friend who had a possible fentanyl overdose.
"I pulled out my parked vehicle beside him and took a look and sure enough I suspected it was," said Gray. "This man was passed out and I asked him what he had used and if he had used before. He said yes and he was a recovering addict."
Fortunately for the man Gray was carrying two nasal doses of Narcan, an opiate antidote more widely known as naloxone. She immediately administered one to the man.
"Luckily that did have him come back with a pulse," said Gray, who followed protocols to the letter without flinching. She also had the benefit of past experience of using Narcan on inmates in Edmonton. With the emergency treatment effectively administered, Gray then contacted RCMP, who then quickly called EMS.
"I proceeded to ensure he did have a pulse. Although he was not conscious he was technically breathing, so I wasn't going to administer another dose," she said.
EMS arrived within minutes. They took over from Gray, hooking him up to an IV and then transporting him to hospital for further care.
"He survived," said Gray, adding if she was not equipped with Narcan it could have been a tragic ending.
"If he didn't have naloxone I would say in five or 10 minutes he probably wouldn't have survived," said Gray.
Leith said he was proud of the community peace officer, adding she was given the right tools to be effective in the community and making it safer.
"It's an excellent response from one of our peace officers," said Leith, noting they typically carry naloxone for their own protection if they are involved in a vehicle or home search and become exposed to fentanyl. "Primarily that is what the naloxone is for, Brandi's own personal protection," said Leith. "Obviously it does support interaction of first aid or first response in the community as well, which is how Brandi has used it."
