Delaware County officials are scheduled to host a Narcan giveaway tomorrow in effort to get the life-saving medicine in the hands of locals in the event an overdose is witnessed, Your Content has learned.
District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer and Delaware County Council announced today that the Delco Prevention & Recovery Coalition will be holding a Narcan giveaway event at 69th Street Terminal in Upper Darby from 3:00pm to 7:30pm on Tuesday, August 24, 2021.
In announcing the event, Council member Kevin Madden stated that “Narcan is incredibly easy to administer, and it can reverse an overdose within minutes – and minutes matter when it comes to overdoses. You absolutely cannot overdose on Narcan – but you absolutely can save a life with it. As a Coalition, we want to do everything we can to get Narcan out into the community.”
Stollsteimer noted that questions about liability are often raised in connection with Narcan administration. “It is important for people to realize that under Pennsylvania’s Good Samaritan law, a person can’t get into trouble for administering Narcan, and Narcan has no potential for abuse. In addition, the public should know that the administration of Narcan to someone who is not actually having an overdose will not endanger them,” said Stollsteimer.
The office of Coalition member State Senator Tim Kearney plans to stock the bags that the Coalition has assembled, each of which contains two doses of Narcan, as well as information about recovery. “Stigma continues to be an obstacle for individuals struggling with addiction,” said Kearney. He continued, “By making Narcan available to constituents on a free, no-questions-asked basis, we hope to normalize the presence of Narcan in medicine cabinets throughout Delaware County. When it comes to overdoses, everyone can be a first responder.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, deaths from drug overdoses soared to more than 93,000 nationally in 2020, a 29% increase over 2019, reflecting the coronavirus pandemic’s toll, as well as the continued spread of the synthetic opioid fentanyl. In Pennsylvania, 5,172 overdose deaths were reported in 2020, a 16% jump from the prior year.
Naloxone, or Narcan as it is commonly called, rapidly reverses the effects of an overdose through a nasal spray. For several years the Commonwealth has made Narcan available to police departments and EMS teams, as well as shelters and libraries. In an effort to combat the growing epidemic the Commonwealth has encouraged the distribution of Narcan to laypeople as well as to first responders.
Training in the use of Narcan is available through the County’s contracted providers, Crozer and the Keystone Center. To schedule an onsite Narcan demonstration contact Jennifer East from the Keystone Center or Monica Perry from Prospect Crozer. Training is also available online at www.getnaloxonenow.org.
Organized by the Office of the District Attorney and the County’s Department of Human Services, the Coalition brings together elected officials, service providers, emergency responders, medical experts, and County staff to promote best practices in Delaware County with respect to substance misuse and recovery.
While the Coalition expects to look for new ways to connect with the community, the District Attorney’s office will continue to maintain drug collection boxes throughout the County and will continue to make the Mobile Drug Collection van available at community events.
The drug collection boxes provide residents with a convenient, safe, and anonymous way to dispose of expired or unwanted prescriptions and over-the- counter medications.
Organizations, businesses, and municipal leaders in Delaware County can contact the District Attorney’s Office at 610-891-4161 to schedule the mobile drug collection van free of charge.