Naloxone Rescue Kits Available at the County Library

June 18, 2018 For Immediate Release	Contact: Tavin Stucki—801.944.7521 tstucki@slcolibrary.org
Naloxone Rescue Kits Available at the County Library
SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah—The County Library has joined the fight against opioid deaths by distributing injectable Naloxone rescue kits to the public, no questions asked and no personal information collected or shared. “We’re not sure of the level of public interest, but we have already received inquiries as a result of local media coverage,” Library Spokesperson Liz Sollis said. “We want to make sure all of our staff are trained on the administration of the injectable medication and have all of the necessary information and resources should the person requesting the kit have questions.” The County Library staff currently has the opioid antagonist in the form of a nasal spray (donated by Salt Lake County Health Department), which is available to library team members to administer in the event of a potential overdose. This training has been incorporated into the County Library’s CPR training since June 2017 and is available to all staff members. Three Naloxone training sessions, provided by Peter Sadler, MS; and Dr. Jen Plumb of Utah Naloxone and the University of Utah, began Monday, June 18, and are scheduled to continue through June 20. All Salt Lake County Library staff are invited to attend these training sessions, which will review signs of an overdose, administration of injectable Naloxone, share local resources and credible information sources specific to opioid antagonists, and will address any questions or concerns staff may have. “This is about saving lives and helping people get better,” Plumb said. “To have such a long-term strategy with multiple collaborative partners really says something about how bad the epidemic has become in Utah, and how much we need innovative, groundbreaking programs like this.” Approximately 360 injectable rescue kits, which were assembled by volunteers from USARA (Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness), will be provided to the branches at these training sessions and, subsequently, will be available for the public to request.
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