Give Now  »

Indiana Public Media | WFIU - NPR | WTIU - PBS

News Contact IPM News Indiana Public Media News

{ "banners": { "tv" : [ {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/8-26-20-wtiu-banner.jpg", "startingDate" : "1598414400000", "endingDate" : "1598500740000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/8-28-20-wtiu-banner.jpg", "startingDate" : "1598587200000", "endingDate" : "1598673540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/8-29-20-wtiu-banner.jpg", "startingDate" : "1598673600000", "endingDate" : "1598759940000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/8-30-20-wtiu-banner.jpg", "startingDate" : "1598760000000", "endingDate" : "1598914740000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/8-31-20-7pm-wtiu-banner.jpg", "startingDate" : "1598914800000", "endingDate" : "1598918400000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/8-30-20-wtiu-banner.jpg", "startingDate" : "1598918460000", "endingDate" : "1599019140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/9-2-20-wtiu-banner.jpg", "startingDate" : "1599019200000", "endingDate" : "1599191940000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/9-4-20-wtiu-banner.jpg", "startingDate" : "1599192000000", "endingDate" : "1599451140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/9-7-20-wtiu-banner.jpg", "startingDate" : "1599451200000", "endingDate" : "1599537540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYuMn%2bAFYFwp%2bq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/9-12-20-wfiu-banner.jpg", "startingDate" : "1599883200000", "endingDate" : "1600055940000"} ], "radio" : [ {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-19-20.jpg", "startingDate" : "1592580600000", "endingDate" : "1592625540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-20-20.png", "startingDate" : "1592625600000", "endingDate" : "1592798340000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-22-20.jpg", "startingDate" : "1592798400000", "endingDate" : "1592884740000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-23-20.jpg", "startingDate" : "1592884800000", "endingDate" : "1592971140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-24-20.jpg", "startingDate" : "1592971200000", "endingDate" : "1593057540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-25-20-am.jpg", "startingDate" : "1593057600000", "endingDate" : "1593115200000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-25-20-pm.jpg", "startingDate" : "1593115260000", "endingDate" : "1593143940000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-29-20_banner.jpg", "startingDate" : "1593144000000", "endingDate" : "1593489540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDBNR&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flgkr2wNtsqwhq1gzMC6uhq5nDjkJobrCdg%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-30-20_banner.jpg", "startingDate" : "1593489600000", "endingDate" : "1593575940000"} ] }}
{ "lightboxes": { "tv" : [ {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/8-26-20-wtiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1598414400000", "endingDate" : "1598500740000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/8-28-20-wtiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1598587200000", "endingDate" : "1598673540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/8-29-20-wtiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1598673600000", "endingDate" : "1598759940000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/8-30-20-wtiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1598760000000", "endingDate" : "1598914740000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/8-31-20-7pm-wtiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1598914800000", "endingDate" : "1598918400000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/8-30-20-wtiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1598918460000", "endingDate" : "1599019140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/9-2-20-wtiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1599019200000", "endingDate" : "1599191940000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/9-4-20-wtiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1599192000000", "endingDate" : "1599451140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/9-7-20-wtiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1599451200000", "endingDate" : "1599537540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WTIUMCLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=2T6mTyo6yYtDgsQprWuZNm3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/9-12-20-wtiu-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1599883200000", "endingDate" : "1600055940000"} ], "radio" : [ {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flizvLEFSbjC6m3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-22-20_lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1592798400000", "endingDate" : "1592884740000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flizvLEFSbjC6m3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-23-20_lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1592884800000", "endingDate" : "1592971140000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flizvLEFSbjC6m3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-24-20_lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1592971200000", "endingDate" : "1593057540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flizvLEFSbjC6m3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-25-20-am-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1593057600000", "endingDate" : "1593115200000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flizvLEFSbjC6m3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-25-20-pm-lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1593115260000", "endingDate" : "1593143940000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flizvLEFSbjC6m3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-29-20_lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1593403200000", "endingDate" : "1593489540000"} , {"url" : "https://indianapublicmedia.secureallegiance.com/wtiu/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WFIUFDLB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=tAXekcDG%2flizvLEFSbjC6m3L5BYddGq6PVAl6UEf65g%3d", "img" : "https://indianapublicmedia.org/images/banner-images/6-30-20_lightbox.jpg", "startingDate" : "1593489600000", "endingDate" : "1593575940000"} ] }}
{ "item" : [ {"label" : "t", "mp3" : "as", "startingDate" : "1568692800000", "endingDate" : "1569124800000"} , {"label" : "h", "mp3" : "k", "startingDate" : "1568001600000", "endingDate" : "1568433600000"} ] }

Overdoses Across Indiana Highlight Responders' Lack Of Resources

On the left, a lethal dose of heroin; on the right, a lethal dose of fentanyl.

Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller announced this week that more funding will go toward expanding access to the overdose intervention drug naloxone to first responders around the state. Overdose Lifeline will administer the $400,000 grant.

The announcement comes after recent reports of as many as 200 overdoses across Ohio, West Virginia and Indiana. Police departments don't have enough resources to respond to the growing drug epidemic.

At the end of August, Jennings County Deputy Thomas Mellencamp experienced something he and other officers never saw when responding to heroin calls.

"I've worked several overdoses in the past. Usually we can give them the one dose and you'll see something out of them - some kind of life will come back. This night we were running out of Narcan,"Â Mellencamp says.

The overdose intervention drug Narcan, also known as naloxone, revives individuals who overdose on opioids. It's standard for Jennings County officers to carry a dose when they're on duty. But nine overdoses in a single night and over a six hour time-span in Jennings County left officers scrambling for more of the overdose antidote.

"We were completely out," Mellencamp says. "We had people giving them to us. I believe one of the state troopers went and got us more from Seymour that night."

The youngest person officers revived was 14 years old. Officials are blaming the overdoses on a batch of heroin cut with synthetic opioids. Fentanyl is often prescribed to patients after surgery, and it's about 50 times more powerful than heroin. Carfentanil is normally used as an animal sedative - powerful enough to tranquilize an elephant. It's 100 times deadlier than fentanyl.

Overdose Lifeline heard from Indiana State police immediately following the spike in overdoses. Justin Phillips, the founder of the non-profit organization says the officers were asking for more naloxone.

"I know I've heard stories that the naloxone's not working," Phillips says. "That's not true. It's just requiring more doses. So, we were able to run more doses down and hold a community event."

"I know I've heard stories that the naloxone's not working. That's not true. It's just requiring more doses."


The super-potent heroin meant officers had to use multiple doses of naloxone to revive people, sometimes up to six doses. Now, other officials including Morgan County Police Captain Brent Worth say they worry the same events that happened in Jennings County could occur in their communities.

"The equipment and supplies that we've given our officers to help preserve life in the occasion of an overdose aren't sufficient enough to preserve life when they're altered with carfentanil or fentanyl," Worth says.

Authorities say the super-charged heroin came from Cincinnati. More than 170 people overdosed there around the same time the overdoses were reported in Jennings County. Tom Synan leads the Hamilton County Drug Task Force and says officers were notified of the problem early and put on alert.

First responders there were recently supplied with a new type of naloxone kit. It's easier to use and more concentrated - up from a two milligram dose to four. Still, Synan says, that's not always enough.

"We're actually getting information from doctors that with the carfentanil and fentanyl on the street, that there actually should be a minimum dose of 10 milligrams to start off with," Synan says.

It's a resource issue in Indiana. The Indiana State Department of Health announced it would deliver 3,400 naloxone kits to 20 different county health departments where residents can get trained on how to administer the drug. And Gov. Mike Pence gave the nod for the department to move forward with another initiative. It plans to stock parts of the state with extra naloxone kits using existing grant money as a way to be prepared for future situations like the one in Jennings County.

Deputy Mellencamp says thankfully, naloxone was able to revive the nine who overdosed in Jennings County, but says he doesn't want to see the situation happen again.

"I'm from this town so a lot of the people I know or I know their families," Mellencamp says. "I hope this isn't the start of - I hope it's not the new normal."

Support For Indiana Public Media Comes From

Find Us on Facebook