Texas
Renewed push to make Narcan more available in Central Texas schools
Renewed push to make Narcan extra accessible in Central Texas colleges
There’s a renewed push in Williamson County to make the overdose reversal drug Narcan extra accessible in colleges. It comes after a number of college students have died from fentanyl in neighboring counties.
ROUND ROCK, Texas – There’s a renewed push in Williamson County to make the overdose-reversal drug Narcan extra accessible in colleges. It comes after a number of college students have died from fentanyl in neighboring counties.
With youngsters simply scoring fentanyl-laced capsules by textual content or social media, Williamson County officers are partnering with Bluebonnet Trails Group Providers and native faculty districts to make Narcan simpler to entry in colleges, to reverse fentanyl’s lethal results.
“They will go from not respiration and fully unresponsive to awake and speaking,” stated Capt. Amy Jarosek of Williamson County EMS’s Group Paramedic Program.
Fentanyl overdoses are on the rise throughout the board, with Williamson County EMS reporting a 20% enhance between 2020 and 2021, and a 22% enhance between 2021 and 2022.
“We all know that the numbers are increased in different areas which are surrounding us. So we all know that that is simply going to go up if we do not do one thing proactively to attempt to stop it,” stated Jarosek.
Previously couple of weeks, Spherical Rock Excessive Faculty has positioned Narcan inside dozens of defibrillator kits, with elementary colleges in Leander, Granger, Coupland and Thrall about to do the identical.
Dying of native teen from fentanyl overdose now a part of warning
Billboards went up Wednesday morning that embody a heartbreaking message, “in the event you do not suppose fentanyl kills, simply ask his mother.”
“If someone goes down, it is exhausting to inform an overdose from a cardiac occasion. So having these two gadgets aspect by aspect actually will increase the prospect of saving a life,” stated George Scherer, Director of Danger Administration and Regulatory Compliance at Spherical Rock ISD.
Most faculty nurses and useful resource officers have already got Narcan, however by having it in these kits, the hope is to make it simpler to search out and use.
“It is available in a field. There are two doses in every field,” stated Jarosek. “It’s a nasal spray, identical to you’ll use an allergy nasal spray.”
The Narcan will even be positioned in authorities buildings all through Williamson County, along with colleges, within the coming weeks.
“We hope we by no means have to make use of it,” stated Scherer. “I am simply grateful we now have it. As a result of we are going to use it.”
Williamson County EMS is providing free coaching to anybody fascinated with studying the way to use Narcan. For extra info, name (512) 943-1264.
If you want to acquire Narcan, you are able to do so via an “open prescription” at your native pharmacy, or you will get it freed from cost at any Bluebonnet Trails location.