Carbon County prison staff is joining the growing number of officials who will be trained to use naloxone in the case of a heroin overdose.

The county prison board voted to purchase two nasal naloxone kits from Diamond Pharmacy at a total cost of $60. The board also approved training the prison nursing staff and the five sergeants on how to properly use the spray if an overdose occurs.Warden Timothy Fritz said that it was recommended that at least one person per shift on the prison staff get trained in using this product and noted that the $60 fee is a one-time fee unless the kits are used.If they are not used, Diamond will replace the kits if the county turns them on at least one month before the expiration date.Robert Crampsie, county controller, asked if there was any liability on the prison's end to possibly giving the spray.District Attorney Jean Engler and solicitor Daniel Miscavige both said there was no liability, noting that a good Samaritan clause was written into the law to protect people who administer the life saving drug during an overdose.Commissioner William O'Gurek asked if naloxone was something that would be needed at the prison since inmates shouldn't be overdosing while incarcerated.Fritz explained that it is more for visitors or people who were arrested coming into the prison.He noted that there has not be an overdose at the prison for as long as he could remember.In other matters:• The board approved Fritz to be part of a Coalition on Mental Health Symposium in Washington, D.C., in April if funding comes through from the national Stepping Up campaign and he is selected from all applicants.• Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard, president of the prison board, asked Frank Shubeck, director of the work release program if there is any interest in the community service program that was reimplemented at the prison.Shubeck said that at this time only one municipality contacted him but had some concerns regarding the supervision and no project ever took place.Gerhard said that he was surprised because areas of Carbon County have a large litter problem and thought some municipalities would utilize the program for projects like that.• The board voted to get a quote from Sheehan's Plumbing in Jim Thorpe, the company the prison had been working with to fix the water regulators for fixing a number of booster pump water pipes at the prison.• Charles Neff, prison maintenance supervisor, reported that some of the pipes in the system are paper-thin and have leaks."They could blow apart at any time," he said, noting that if they do, the prison will be without water. "They are paper-thin and the patch I have on them you could see through half the pipe."