Kits including Narcan, a drug used to help treat overdoses in emergency situation, have been placed around the community in lock boxes, including in the Broome County health department.

The kits are free to anyone, and you can take as many as you want.  The kits include the Narcan nasal spray, drug tests, and a face shield for resuscitation.  Marissa Knapp, Director of the of the Overdose Prevention Program at the Broome County Health Department, encourages keeping them in your car, purse, and at home.

"So right now we have Naloxone boxes that are being implemented all across the county. And on the locks box is a place almost looks like a newspaper stand. It can be a cabinet or, Rubbermaid tote or, you know, a larger unit that stores Naloxone.  We really believe that because of the amount of people that carry Narcan, it's why we're seeing our big reduction in our overdoses,"  Knapp said.

Kits can be found at various places in the community, including UHS, the Addiction Center of Broome County, and Helio Health.

You can contact the BCDH Overdose Prevention Program at 607-778-2805, or on the Broome County Health Department's website.