Florida cop who OD’d after fentanyl exposure ‘couldn’t breathe’

The Florida cop who overdosed after being uncovered to fentanyl throughout a site visitors cease is talking out about her near-death expertise, saying she would have died if fellow officers weren’t close by.

Officer Courtney Bannick of the Tavares Police Division drifted out and in of consciousness after by chance ingesting the highly effective narcotic — which is 100 occasions stronger than heroin — throughout a Tuesday site visitors cease.

Bannick informed native reporters Thursday she deliberate to return to her precinct to check the drug, however all of a sudden started gasping for air as she headed to her car

“As quickly as I began speaking, I used to be light-headed a little bit bit and began virtually choking,” she stated, in response to Click on Orlando. “I couldn’t breathe. I wasn’t getting sufficient air and I bear in mind form of wheezing, gasping.”

A colleague seen that she was in misery and administered three doses of Narcan, which reverses overdoses. Bannick was transported to an area hospital and has since returned to work.

The veteran officer, who was sporting surgical gloves whereas dealing with the narcotic, stated she will be able to’t clearly recall how she ingested the drug, however speculated she might have wiped her face in some unspecified time in the future.

“I’m very aware that I don’t contact my face if I’ve gloves on, however did I wipe my nostril with my wrist? I don’t know,” she stated.

Bannick, who requested that the footage be launched to show the artificial opiod’s deadly efficiency, stated the drug is consistently evolving.

“We’re not coping with pharmaceutical-grade fentanyl,” she stated. “Every single day these road chemists are arising with one thing as a result of drug customers are constructing a tolerance to it.”

All too acquainted with fentanyl overdose victims who don’t get well, Bannick stated she’s grateful to her fellow officers for bringing her again from the brink.

“If I used to be looking out that automobile alone, or testing these medicine alone, or regardless of the case could also be and I didn’t have Narcan obtainable, there’s a superb likelihood I wouldn’t be right here proper now,” she stated.

The unnamed suspects concerned within the site visitors cease are going through felony drug raps.