By Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com

As Pennsylvania's opioid epidemic continues to claim lives, more police departments are opting to carry the overdose antidote naloxone, most commonly known by the brand name Narcan.

Through December 2017, police departments across the state reported to the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs they have saved more than 6,400 lives.

There is no law mandating that law enforcement report naloxone reversals to the state, so all data is voluntarily self- reported.

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It is estimated that in 2016 more than 4,600 Pennsylvanians died from opioid overdoses. That equates to about 13 people dying each day from an overdose.

State health officials say the opioid overdose reversal drug Narcan plays a vital role in Pennsylvania's fight against the epidemic.

In April 2015, state Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine signed a standing order prescription for first responders, so anyone could get the life saving drug. And today that prescription is available to anyone here.

More and more police departments are equipping officers with the overdose antidote, which is typically given as a nasal spray to halt an overdose.

Narcan immediately blocks opioid receptors in the brain, allowing someone to recover in seconds, even if they are not breathing.

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lehighvalleylive.com file photo

Numbers don't tell the entire story

The state's overdose reversal figures inevitably underreport the number of times naloxone is used in Pennsylvania.

There's no state law mandating law enforcement report using the overdose reversal drug, so all of the data is voluntarily shared with state officials. These figures in this story also only look at Narcan usage by police, leaving out EMTs and emergency room departments.

We do know that Pennsylvania saw an 81 percent spike in the number of suspected opioid overdoses coming into its emergency rooms, according to a recent Centers for Disease Control report tracking increases in overdose ER visits across the U.S. from July 2016 through September 2017.

Generally, urban areas have a significantly higher total number of naloxone reversals given the denser population. Counties where all police departments stock and carry Narcan seem to have more successful saves.

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Where in Pa. police are saving the most lives

This map shows the counties where police are most frequently using Narcan to reverse opioid overdoses.

All of the Lehigh Valley's police departments are stocked with Narcan and officers carry it on patrol.

In the last three years, it has been used successfully 60 times in Lehigh County and 219 times in Northampton County.

The top county in the state is Delaware County, outside of Philadelphia, where police have saved 989 people's lives thanks to Narcan.

Note: The map excludes 137 successful uses by Pennsylvania State Police and one reversal by the state capitol police.

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NJ Advance Media file photo

Who pays for overdose antidote naloxone, and is it worth it?

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Which counties are being hit the hardest?

Here's a look at the Pennsylvania counties where police have the highest save rates.

The overall statewide rate was five Narcan reversals per 10,000 residents.

About the data: All of the following rates are calculated per 10,000 residents using data spanning 2014-17.

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Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com

Lehigh County

While all police departments in Lehigh County are stocked with naloxone, its successful save figures lag behind Northampton County.

Rate: 1.67 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 60

Police coverage: Full

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25. Lebanon County

Rate: 2.84 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 39

Police coverage: Partial

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Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com

24. Butler County

Rate: 3.22 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 60

Police coverage: Full

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23. Armstrong County

Rate: 3.4 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 23

Police coverage: Partial

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Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com

22. Lancaster County

Rate: 3.45 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 184

Police coverage: Partial

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21. Cambria County

Rate: 3.48 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 48

Police coverage: Full

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Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com

20. Philadelphia County

Rate: 3.54 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 553

Police coverage: Partial

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Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com

19. Beaver County

Rate: 3.72 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 63

Police coverage: Partial

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18. Luzerne County

Rate: 3.82 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 122

Police coverage: Partial

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Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com

17. Lackawanna County

Rate: 3.89 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 83

Police coverage: Partial

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16. Erie County

Rate: 3.94 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 110

Police coverage: Full

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15. Columbia County

Rate: 4.04 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 27

Police coverage: Partial

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Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com

14. Indiana County

Rate: 4.34 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 38

Police coverage: Partial

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13. Mercer County

Rate: 4.36 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 50

Police coverage: Partial

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Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com

12. Allegheny County

Rate: 5.41 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 666

Police coverage: Partial

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11. Franklin County

Rate: 5.63 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 86

Police coverage: Full

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Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com

10. Carbon County

Rate: 5.90 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 38

Police coverage: Partial

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9. Dauphin County

Rate: 6.36 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 173

Police coverage: Full

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8. Montgomery County

Rate: 6.36 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 519

Police coverage: Full

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Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com

7. Cumberland County

Rate: 6.97 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 170

Police coverage: Full

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A look at the toll opioids are taking in Pa's hardest-hit counties

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Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com

6. Northampton County

Rate: 7.28 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 219

Police coverage: Full

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5. Chester County

Rate: 7.89 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 404

Police coverage: Full

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4. Bucks County

Rate: 8.36 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 524

Police coverage: Full

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Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com

3. Washington County

Rate: 8.83 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 184

Police coverage: Full

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2. York County

Rate: 13.45 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 593

Police coverage: Full

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Sara K. Satullo | For lehighvalleylive.com

1. Delaware County

Rate: 17.58 per 10,000 residents

Total reversals: 989

Police coverage: Full

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What is Pennsylvania doing

On Jan. 10, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf declared a 90-day statewide disaster declaration to work at combatting the heroin and opioid overdose epidemic. The declaration designation helps enhance the response to the epidemic and increase access to treatment.

Wolf launched the state's opioid data dashboard on March 14. It focuses on three key areas Wolf outlined in his disaster declaration: prevention, rescue and treatment.

It shows both state and county-wide data.

“This information allows us to look at the areas where the opioid crisis is doing the most damage,” Levine said. “Through this data, we can see where prevention is needed, where rescue can be improved and where treatment is necessary to help those communities that have been affected the most by the opioid epidemic.”

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Do you or someone you love need help?

Call Pennsylvania's confidential, 24/7 hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for information about treatment resources. It is available in both English and Spanish.

Don't want to call? Text 717-216-0905 for assistance.

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More stories

A look at the toll opioids are taking in Pa.'s hardest-hit counties

Pa. emergency rooms see 81% spike in opioid overdoses, CDC reports

After an overdose, officials plan outreach to those saved by naloxone

Lehigh Valley to join new effort to combat opioid crisis

Human toll of opioid devastation in Pa. in ex-addict's words

How local cops are fighting heroin with treatment, not handcuffs

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Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.