Stock photo.
An example of a Narcan Evzio Naloxone nasal spray opioid drug overdose prevention medication.
Narcan kits are now at all schools in the Trussville City Schools district.
According to a Feb. 10 statement in the school district’s In The Loop e-newsletter, a systemwide Narcan initiative was brought about due to “recent opioid overdoses that have occurred in Alabama schools” and the growing risk of Fentanyl-laced street drugs increasing the danger of accidental exposure and overdose.
Trussville City Schools, with the help of the Alabama State Department of Education nursing administrator and Jefferson County Department of Health, were able to secure Narcan kits on all Trussville City Schools campuses.
“Narcan can reverse an opioid overdose until emergency services arrive,” the statement says.
Narcan, according to the Centers for Disease Control, temporarily reverses the effects of an overdose from opioids, including:
► Heroin
► Morphine
► Oxycodone
► Methadone
► Fentanyl
► Hydrocodone
► Codeine
► Hydromorphone
► Buprenorphine
Narcan is delivered as a nasal spray or as an injectable. According to the CDC, Narcan can be given safely to people of all ages, including toddlers and seniors.
The Narcan kits will be placed with all automated external defibrillators in each school, including AEDs in athletic areas, “so that we are prepared to help if an overdose occurs on campus,” according to Trussville City Schools.
Administrators and staff are being trained on how to properly use the Narcan kits.
“We always want to be proactive and be prepared with as many measures as possible to help save lives in the event of an emergency,” the Trussville City Schools statement says. “We hope that we never have an overdose on campus and never have to use any of our Narcan kits, but having these kits available is an easy and sensible safety measure that could help save lives.”
