The City of Fairhope is spending money from an opioid settlement to offer free Narcan to the public.
Narcan, a nasal spray that reverses the deadly effects of opioids, has saved countless lives nationwide.
On Monday, the Fairhope City Council approved spending $4,752 on 144 cartons of Narcan from Emergent BioSolutions.
"What we're going to do is provide education to our general public on how to identify overdoses and what to do and how to take immediate action through using CPR training and Narcan training," said Police Chief Stephanie Hollinghead.
Opioid overdose deaths have been on the rise in Baldwin County, which is why Hollinghead said it is important for everyone to be educated.
"That's why we're taking this initiative to get more Narcan and get the education out there and put forth the information and preventative education on the risk associated with illicit substances," she added.
"You never know when you may actually come across someone who is in a crisis," she said. "You're not really sure what they're going through. Now we will be able to educate our public and our community on signs of crisis and what you're going to look for."
The council approved the resolution unanimously.
Attorney General Steve Marshall has taken action to fight the opioid crisis by filing claims against drug manufacturers and other entities that have taken a part in fueling the crisis. The state received millions of dollars in settlements. Those funds are being allocated to local governments to implement long-term strategies to combat the opioid crisis.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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