Andover electrician John King. (Bernice Corpuz/WBZ NewsRadio 1030)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- An Andover electrician has developed first-of-its-kind technology meant to save those who have overdosed.
John King, the owner of A Plus Communications, was contracted by the Boston Health Care For The Homeless program to create an alarm system in the building's public bathrooms--where the clinic's staff have had to respond to up to five overdoses a week since last year. But thanks to tech designed by King, no one has died.
There are two motion sensors in the bathroom ceilings that can detect micro-movements. And if those devices detect no motion in two minutes, an alarm sounds. Blue flashing lights also direct the clinic's staff to where a person may need help.
"When you overdose, you know, the heart slows right down and you're just still," King told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Bernice Corpuz. "It's ultrasonic and passive-infrared, so the two together will give you more sensitivity to micro-movements."
Since last year, other organizations across the country have reached out to King. He's also developing a system that can be installed in bathrooms with multiple stalls.
"The doctors come up to me and they're like, 'Oh, John, you saved another life today'," he said. "And I'm like, I don't think I saved anybody's life, but I helped detect so that they could save them--they administer the Narcan."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Bernice Corpuz (@BerniceWBZ) reports