A firefighter who posted on Facebook that addicts shouldn't get narcan has been suspended 90 days without pay.

WEYMOUTH – A Weymouth firefighter who said in a Facebook post that drug addicts shouldn’t be given the lifesaving overdose-reversal drug Narcan has been suspended without pay and will have to complete social media and sensitivity training before returning to work.

Flanked by Fire Chief Keith Stark and Firefighters Union Local 1616 President Jim Young, Mayor Robert Hedlund on Monday announced the immediate 90-day suspension of Firefighter Mark Carron, an 11-year veteran of the department.

Once Carron returns, he’ll be assigned to work dispatch for a period of time before Stark allows him to respond to emergency calls.

The union president, the chief and the mayor said that Carron’s online remarks don’t represent sentiment in the department or the town, which have been working to reduce the number of opiate overdose deaths in Weymouth.

“We thought it was important to get the message out to the community quickly that this is not something we tolerate,” Hedlund said. “(Opiate abuse) is an issue we’re well aware of in this community. It has impacted us greatly. It’s ripped the heart out of a lot of families.”

The Facebook post attributed to Carron’s personal account said, “Narcan is the worst drug ever created. ... let the (expletive) die....I for one get no extra money for giving narcan and these losers are out of the hospital and using again in hours, you use you should loose (sic).”

The post had gone viral by Sunday night, kicking off a social media firestorm of comments from across the country. Some comments condemned the post, while others defended it.

The post was taken down by Sunday night.

The Weymouth Firefighters Facebook page was flooded with comments from people in California, Delaware and New Jersey, among other locations. People called the post a “disgrace,” “insensitive” and “appalling.”

Michael Brooks, a Weymouth resident, founded the Facebook page “Weymouth is Everything” where a screen shot of Carron’s comment was posted Sunday.

“I’m surprised it went as viral as it did,” Brooks said. “It just goes to show you there are certain things people latch onto and it’s true evidence of how bad this problem is.”

Narcan, also know by the generic name naloxone, can temporarily reverse the effects of an overdose from heroin or prescription painkillers called opioids. It has been hailed as a lifesaving tool as first responders work to curb a mounting number of overdose deaths on the South Shore, statewide and nationally. Weymouth firefighters began carrying the medication in 2013, following the lead of the Quincy Police Department, which pioneered use of Narcan by local first responders. It’s been credited with saving hundreds of lives on the South Shore.

Carron could not be reached for comment Monday.

Young, the union president, said Carron has taken responsibility for the comments and is sorry.

“Unfortunate statements, bad judgment, call it whatever you want,” Young said. “It’s not what we do. It’s not why we brought Narcan to Weymouth back in 2013.”

Stark said he’s received emails from residents angered by the online comments.

“I want residents to know I’ve read their emails. I hear their concerns,” he said. “I see the terrible toll this epidemic has taken on their families and their community.”

Stark said Carron is a “good employee.”

Hedlund said the town does not currently have a policy on use of social media by town employees, but one will be put in place for all departments soon, beginning with the fire department.

In 2015, there were 183 overdoses in Weymouth. Firefighters, police and paramedics administered Narcan 114 times. There were 24 overdose deaths last year.

So far in 2016, first responders went to 11 overdoses and administered Narcan seven times. Two people have died this year of overdoses.

Joanne Peterson, founder of the support and advocacy group Learn to Cope, said she’s satisfied with Carron’s suspension. She said she hopes part of his sensitivity training will include talking to families of people who’ve died of overdoses.

“People make mistakes,” she said. “Everybody deserves a second chance.”

Christian Schiavone may be reached at cschiavone@ledger.com or follow on Twitter @CSchiavo_Ledger.