Hawkins sheriff's office partners with EMS for overdose awareness

ROGERSVILLE — A 1971 Cadillac hearse with a skull-faced driver will roam the streets of Hawkins County. On one side of the car, a skeleton points to onlookers.A pile of white powder sits beside the skeleton behind the words, in red letters, "FENTANYL = DEATH." The other side warns of meth's mortality.The car belongs to the Hawkins County Sheriff's Office.It's part of a drug overdose awareness program with the Hawkins County Emergency Medical Services. A narcotics detective with the sheriff's office said the hearse will help educate the community about the dangers of drugs. Police officers will drive it around and attend local events, alongside EMS, to promote overdose awareness."We're working so many overdoses," the narcotics detective said. "It's just too much. It's all the time. Every time we turn around, it's something."The agencies hope to help drug users before they end up in prison — or, in a hearse.The Christian-Sells Funeral Home in Rogersville donated the car and paid for its wrap. Funeral home co-owner Chris Christian and Sheriff Ronnie Lawson wanted an eye-catching design, the narcotics detective said. He also said Lawson told officers to wear the skull mask while driving it and not talk or wave to passersby."He wants the car to speak for itself," the narcotics detective said.The car's design also features the Tennessee REDLINE — a 24/7 call and text service for addiction treatment — and the Hawkins County Recovery Court. The REDLINE'S phone number is 1-800-889-9789.EMS Deputy Chief of Operations Wayne Elam said it's important to make programs like this widely accessible. EMS has its own overdose awareness vehicle, paid for with drug abatement funds. The mobile unit is a car and trailer for educational demonstrations and to distribute Narcan.Narcan, a brand name for the medicine naloxone, can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. According to a press release from Elam, the overdose program has given out over 600 doses of Narcan since its July inception.Elam said he hopes to attend at least two events a month with the overdose awareness vehicles, once the weather warms up. Next year, Hawkins County EMS will add a car safety seat trailer to its fleet to teach families about keeping child passengers safe.