East Providence offers 'Grab and Know,' Narcan stations
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — The city of East Providence is offering a new and instant way to get Narcan.
Narcan is now available 24/7 at outside locations around East Providence called 'Grab and Know,' stations.
"It has a little information packet inside to show you how to use it," said East Providence Fire Capt. John Potvin. "There's also a QR code for a video, an infographic on the steps to use it and there's also a little info for a recovery coach."
These boxes are at 10 locations in the city. In addition to fire and police stations, at the Senior Center and City Hall.
While” Safe Stations,” are great, they do require someone to go inside to get Narcan and information.
Potvin said these new stations are more convenient for various reasons. So far, at least 100 kits have been grabbed.
"We don't track where it goes, but I do know in our city we've had three successful resuscitations because the folks that we responded to said, 'I saw a PSA about the 'Grab and Know,' Narcan and I went to the fire station and I took it home and put it in our medicine cabinet,'" Potvin said.
Since the opioids settlements, Rhode Island is receiving 55,000 free Narcan kits over the next 10 years and part of that supply is what's keeping these boxes filled.
"We've been trying for years to get more kits into the community because we know that it works. So dedicating that funding stream every year for those kits makes it happen and without the stress of the budgets we can actually freely give it out as much as we need it," said Thomas Joyce, co-chair of the Rhode Island Overdose and Intervention Task Force.
East Providence is hoping other cities and towns will follow their lead. They say they are here to help.
"We are here for the community for all aspects and all kinds of emergencies, and in this case, I wish we didn't have to do this, however this is an epidemic," Potvin said.