Bakersfield business owner works to combat overdoses with narcan dispensers

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Fentanyl continues to threaten lives in Bakersfield and now there’s a new weapon in the fight against overdose deaths.

Narcan dispensers are popping up across the city and the woman who’s organizing the effort is offering the life saving drug for free.

More than 900 lives have been lost in Bakersfield the last 4 years from fentanyl related overdoses. Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is used to reverse opioid overdoses and now it’s free at different locations across the city.

“It takes away that stigma. It makes it readily available,” said Audrey Chavez, founder of the Bakersfield AIDS Project. “They can come, they can just open this door really quick. They can grab one and be off on their day.”

Audrey Chavez, founder of the Bakersfield AIDS Project and co-owner of Martin’s Meats put a free narcan dispenser outside her store along with free fentanyl test strips. There’s also a free narcan dispenser at the Crush Ice Market on Chester Avenue and 10th Street, as well as one at the Downtown Market off 19th Street in downtown Bakersfield.

“We just want people to access those tools and not be afraid to talk about it. Whether it’s in our high schools or our middle schools, in our homes, in our places of worship,” said Chavez. “We’ve got to talk about it. We’ve got to carry it with us. We’ve got to be ready to save lives.”

It costs Chavez $500 per box. There are up to 100 narcan kits per box and dozens of fentanyl test strips. Chavez has found a place for 5 boxes at what she calls overdose hot spots across the city, but 5 more need a home.

“We will stock them with narcan for as long as that box is there,” said Chavez. “So we are looking to be able to connect with these people who care about issues and want to save lives.”

Chavez says each box is placed at a site where someone died from an overdose honoring their life by trying to save others. A picture of Preston Musquez will be shown at the box in front of Martin’s Meats. He died August 2023 from overdose.

“We want to respect their lives and their memories,” said Chavez. “We want to be able to honor them.”

The first free narcan box was placed at the Downtown Market 3 weeks ago to honor the life of local musician, Nate Berg, who died from an accidental overdose. He was found January 19th at 2 a.m., in front of the store. He was 52.

Chavez wants at least 2 boxes in every city in Kern County.

If you’re a business owner interested in saving lives with a free narcan box text 661-742-3611.

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