In a move aimed at saving lives and reducing barriers to overdose intervention, the Snoqualmie Fire Department has partnered with the Washington State Department of Health to distribute free Narcan (naloxone) to the public.
This medication can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, and its availability offers several important community benefits:
- Saving Lives: Narcan quickly reverses opioid overdoses, giving people a second chance.
- Accessibility: Free distribution ensures that anyone—bystanders, family members, and those at risk—can access it without financial barriers.
- Reducing Stigma: When Narcan is widely available, the conversation shifts from blame to harm reduction.
- Empowering Communities: Equipping people with Narcan makes overdose intervention possible before emergency responders arrive.
- Lower Healthcare Costs: Preventing overdoses reduces strain on emergency services and hospitals.
The public can stop by the Snoqualmie Fire Station, located at 37600 SE Snoqualmie Parkway, 7 days a week between 7 am and 8 pm, and receive free Narcan.
The Snoqualmie Fire Station will also be added to the Washington State Department of Health’s Naloxone Finder: https://stopoverdose.org/find-naloxone-near-me-washington-state/, showing the locations of Narcan distribution.
In 2023, the Snoqualmie Fire Department was the first fire department in Washington state to receive a Department of Health grant to educate the public on the dangers of opioid-based drugs, how to use Narcan to reverse an opioid overdose, and to distribute Narcan to attendees of the class.
This new state-city partnership complements the free Opioid Education and Overdose Reversal Training Class offered by the Snoqualmie Fire Department, as well as on-site at organizational requests.
More information on all Snoqualmie Fire Department classes can be found at: www.snoqualmiewa.gov/532/Classes
[Information provided by the City of Snoqualmie. Photo by NEXT Distro on Unsplash]
