New technology helps fight overdoses in Capital Region

There is new information surrounding three Capital Region overdoses and NEWS10 has the latest on the investigations. These investigations highlight the new tactic being used to help fight the opioid pandemic that is now making its way to the streets of Small Town America.

CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- There is new information surrounding three Capital Region overdoses and NEWS10 has the latest on the investigations. These investigations highlight the new tactic being used to help fight the opioid pandemic that is now making its way to the streets of Small Town America.

“It's been happening nationally, it's been happening globally and now it's finally starting to hit the small towns like ours and we need to become a little more prepared to deal with that,” said North Greenbush Chief of Police, David Keevern. 

Chief Keevern says his community has not suffered the loss of life to the degree other communities have but he says they are doing all they can to make sure they never do. “There is a lot of other things that is being mixed in nowadays. The people just aren't aware of and the risk is just too high unfortunately. We didn't know we needed all these things until now,” stated the chief.

In the Village of Scotia the Chief of Police, Daniel Harrigan, says they are currently investigating an overdose in their community. He tells NEWS10 the DEA is now the lead agency in charge. He also said they sent out a brochure to villagers saying that they’re trying to keep the community better informed to what kind of dangers might be in their choice drug.

Yet, there is more help in the battle against the opioid crisis, and t’s a machine called FTIR or, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectrometer.  “It sends information over to our drug checking software computer. This software helps us identify the makeup of a substance through interpreting wavelengths,” said Vanessa Cappon, Assistant Director of Program Services with Alliance for Positive Health. She says it is a pretty simple process.  “We are lowering the device onto a substance that's actually lowering it onto a small diamond. And then a laser is going to shine infrared light on to that sample. And then that sample is going to be created into a unique fingerprint, in a way and it's going to send it over to our computer it's going to create a wavelength.”

She also tells NEWS10 that any of the information gathered is not for law enforcement, but instead it is for a greater good.  “It's a whole system of people who can communicate with one another saying hey we're identifying this substance in this area and keep your eye out for it. And our clients that are obtaining what they think is cocaine and that member this is what they're actually experiencing. And so, we're able to communicate from New York City over to Western New York all the way up to the North Country where I'm located,” said Cappon.

Catholic Charities is one of the places in the Capital Region to have this new technology. NEWS10 reached out to the Schenectady location because the FTIR machine there did detect something that was not supposed to be in someone’s stash. 

“Catholic Charities Care Coordination Services’ drug checking program is the first line of defense in identifying potentially harmful substances.  The testing process is key and underscores our dedication to safeguarding the well-being of our community members and addressing public health challenges with proactive and comprehensive solutions,” said Candace Ellis, Executive Director, Catholic Charities Care Coordination Services.

The samples are then sent to North Carolina for further study and to find out if a public service announcement is necessary.