Tioga County distributing free Narcan

TIOGA COUNTY, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – Tioga County is helping its residents save lives by distributing free Narcan on Thursday.

September 26 is Save a Life – Free Narcan Day in Tioga County. Tioga County Public Health has partnered with the Tioga County ASAP Coalition and Tioga County Mental Hygiene for the event and will be holding multiple opioid overdose prevention trainings with free Narcan kits available across the county.

Save a Life Day started in 2020 in West Virginia to educate the community about substance use and overdose prevention.

Opioids have become more dangerous due to the increase of the synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, being mixed into many drugs including heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines, and counterfeit pills.

According to Tioga County, it continues to lose residents every year to opioid overdoses. Tioga County says rural communities are more at risk for overdose deaths due to extended first responder response times.

When administered in time, Narcan can be used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and help save someone’s life.

Narcan has become easier to access in Tioga County through Opioid Overdose Prevention Programs, Public Access Narcan Boxes, and pharmacies. Anyone can become trained on how to reverse an opioid overdose.

Narcan trainings will be held at the following locations:

• 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.: Spencer Food Cupboard (91 Orchard Street in Spencer)
• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: The Red Door (359 Broad Street in Waverly)
• 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Tioga Downs (2384 W River Road in Nichols)

Tioga County residents are encouraged to attend the trainings and keep Narcan in their possession, especially if they know someone who has a substance use disorder or is in recovery.

For more information on this event, please visit Tioga County Public Health or Tioga ASAP on Facebook.

• Just Breathe gives back to community through non-profit
• BLAST kicks of new season with A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
• Hispanic Heritage: Ellie Rivera
• Town and Country Apartments undergoing $46 million renovation
• Binghamton Fire Department receives over $1 million in funding

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34.