Fort Smith Water Utilities receives Naloxone grant

FORT SMITH, Ark. ( KNWA/KFTA ) — On May 9, the City of Fort Smith Water Utilities Department was awarded thousands of dollars from the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership (AROP) for opioid overdose reversal kits.

The project will give $14,760 worth of naloxone, or NARCAN, to all Water Utilities Department employees who will be trained and carry kits with them.

“Since the Utilities department is out in the field and in all corners of the City, City staff may have a need to supply naloxone to a person in overdose,” said City Administrator Carl Geffken.

In 2021, 637 Arkansans died from drug overdoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The AROP is an initiative put together to help support Arkansasns in recovery, neighbors suffering from substance misuse disorder and families who have lost someone to opioids.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.