A free public service

St. George’s Episcopal Church in Hilton has deployed the area’s first free public naloxone box in their parking lot. Naloxone is a life-saving nasal spray medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. It is FDA-approved for over-the-counter use and is safe and easy to use. The medication is a spray administered to the nose. It acts as an overdose reversal and gives the victim time to receive medical attention.

The NaloxBox is in St. George’s church parking lot at 635 Wilder Road. It is provided by the Monroe County IMPACT Program (Improving Addiction Coordination Team).

Rev. Greg Kremer of St. George’s Church identified a need for having this free to the public after hosting the church’s first community-wide health initiative last month. “Our goal is to save lives,” said Rev. Kremer. “It is anonymous and free. Anyone can drive up and take a kit. We will refill the box as needed.”

Naloxone is simple to use, and the instructions are on the package. The church plans to offer a public Naloxone training program this summer that will be open to anyone wanting to learn more about how to use this life-saving medication.

Given how safe naloxone is, a victim of a non-opioid overdose or an overdose caused by a mixture of drugs will not be harmed by this medication. It only works if the person has opioids in their system and has no effect if they do not.

Opioid overdose is currently the leading cause of death among adults 50 years and younger in the United States. More than 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. If you witness someone experiencing an overdose it is always recommended that you call 911 in addition to administering the Naloxone.