Click here for instructions on how to administer Narcan. 

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), codeine, morphine, and many others. In excessive amounts, opioids can suppress a person’s ability to breathe, and lead to death.

In Milwaukee County, Fentanyl deaths have increased 170% over the past 5 years. Fentanyl is 100 times stronger than heroin and a lethal dose for the average adult can be as small as 3 grains of salt. 

The Oak Creek Fire Department has partnered with the Oak Creek Health Department, Community Medical Services, and Wisconsin Department of Health Services to create Narcan Hope Kits. Our goal in developing these kits is to reduce opiate overdose fatalities and to provide resources that will help the individual on their path to recovery. The Oak Creek Fire Department will leave this kit with any patient who overdoses on an opiate, and we also have these kits available for free at every Oak Creek Fire Station.

When an individual requests a Hope Kit for themselves or for a loved one, we will not only provide them with a kit, but also will provide education regarding the signs and symptoms of an overdose. Each Hope Kit contains 2 doses of the opiate reversal medication Narcan, drug deactivation kits, a rescue breathing pocket mask, fentanyl testing strips, along with literature on resources for recovery and treatment.  For more resources on Narcan, click here.