BUTLER TWP — A township woman may owe her life to David’s Law — a state statute she probably never heard of.

The law, enacted in 2014, gives authority to police officers to administer the anti-opiate drug naloxone.

It also provides people who seek help when a friend, companion or family member overdoses with Good Samaritan immunity from prosecution.

Kimberly M. Kiser, 38, of Butler Township benefited from both elements of the law, authorities said.

Kiser’s unwitting brush with David’s Law — named for David John Massi II of Delaware County, who died of an overdose of heroin and other drugs in 2013 — played out Friday.

An acquaintance, a 25-year-old man, picked up Kiser at her home, which is about a mile from the Butler Township Police Department on South Duffy Road.

She apparently shot up heroin while riding in the car, police said, and passed out.

The acquaintance made the decision to get the woman immediate help by driving her to the police station rather than taking the longer route to Butler Memorial Hospital, said Lt. Matthew Pearson.

“She might have died if he had taken her to the hospital,” Pearson acknowledged.

While listening to the police scanner at the station, Pearson heard the 911 call for an overdose patient that was at the department’s parking lot.

He looked out his window and noticed the woman slumped over in the passenger seat. She was barely breathing.

“I grabbed a Narcan kit and headed out,” he said.

Narcan is the common brand name for the lifesaving antidote naloxone.

Just three weeks earlier, township police had received seven Narcan kits, courtesy of a state grant and thanks to David’s Law.

Friday was the first time the department used the kits. Police, it turned out, had to administer naloxone in two separate overdoses that same day.

Along with receiving the kits, all 21 officers also received training on how to administer the drug in nasal spray form.

One prime objective of the 2014 law was to expand access of the drug by allowing police officers and other first responders in Pennsylvania to administer it.

Pre-David’s Law, overdose patients got the drug from medical emergency personnel — typically not the first on the scene — or at hospital emergency rooms.

Since an injection of heroin can almost immediately trigger an overdose, as Kiser apparently found out, the availability of naloxone is crucial.

Each of the township’s kits contains two vials of naloxone hydrochloride. Pearson sprayed the drug into each of Kiser’s nostrils and monitored her response.

“She momentarily stopped breathing,” he recalled.

Detective Sgt. David Fish, who joined to assist, got Kiser out of the car. Pearson was about to prepare another hit of Narcan for the woman when a Butler Ambulance Service crew arrived and took over.

Paramedics, this time, delivered Narcan by injection. About a minute later, Kiser came to. Authorities believe both naloxone doses saved her life.

Once resuscitated, police said, she admitted injecting at least one bag of heroin while riding around in the car. Police said a search of her purse turned up evidence of drugs and other contraband.

Kiser was taken to the Butler hospital for further treatment. Police on Monday charged her with misdemeanor counts of possessing a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.

Police, however, did not charge the acquaintance.

“He did the right thing,” Pearson said, citing David’s Law in rendering his opinion.

The law provides immunity from prosecution for individuals who report overdoses.

“The Good Samaritan Law gives them immunity if they stay with the person and try to get help,” Pearson said. “That’s what (the acquaintance) did.”

The immunity protection under the law also covers police officers and other first responders who administer Narcan.