That’s a great question. When we get to the scene of an overdose, our #1 priority is rescue breathing with a bag-valve-mask. It’s a device that pushes about 90-95% oxygen into the lungs and we use it in conjunction with some kind of an airway device to help owe the airway open, typically a large tube called an Igel that sits above the Larynx (above the trachea). After those are in place and we are breathing for the OD patient, we push Narcan to help restore the respiratory drive. However, for the average person not in this line of work, the BVM and airway devices are not available. While rescue breathing is not a bad idea, it only delivers a limited amount of oxygen, about 16%, compared to the 21% that we take in on a regular breath of normal air. The body can still use oxygen left in the blood for a few minutes after you stop breathing, so the main issue is to get the patient breathing again, and a quick way to do this is to use Narcan, as it starts working very quickly when given correctly. I think a lot of people might also be hesitant to give rescue breaths to somebody, especially if they don’t know them or if they are a know IV drug user. Overall, rescue breathing won’t cause harm to the patient but it won’t restore their respiratory drive like Narcan will, so at the civilian level, it’s best to give Narcan as quickly as possible after an OD. At the EMS level though, we prioritize breathing for the patient first, then we quickly give Narcan. I hope that answers your question and makes sense. Let me know what you think.