Free Narcan availability expands in Bellingham with a pair of new locations
As part of an ongoing effort to combat the opioid crisis, Whatcom County has added two new naloxone dispensers in Bellingham. The boxes, which can be accessed for free 24/7, contain the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, also called Narcan.
The new dispensers bring the total in the county to six, with the majority located in Bellingham. The latest additions are located at the Way Station, at 1500 N. State Street, and the Health and Community Services administration office, at 509 Girard Street.
The county said it will soon be opening additional dispensers at the Lummi Nation Fire Station and Blaine Food Bank. A map of all open distribution locations is available online at whatcomcounty.us/4460/Naloxone-Distribution-Boxes.
“If you suspect someone is having an overdose, it is safe to give them naloxone, even if you don’t know what drug they have taken,” said Whatcom County Health and Community Services Officer Amy Harley. “In almost half of fatal drug overdoses, a bystander was nearby, so community members should consider carrying naloxone to potentially save a life.”
How to administer naloxone
According to the Washington State Department of Health, if you ever need to administer naloxone, you should follow these steps.
▪ Check if the person is conscious and able to respond.
▪ Call 911.
▪ Administer naloxone.
▪ If the person still isn’t breathing, start rescue breathing.
▪ If they haven’t responded after three minutes, give a second dose.
▪ Wait with the person until help arrives.
▪ If they are breathing but not awake, turn them onto their side into a recovery position.
The drug can be administered in two forms – nasal spray and injection. In order to administer the nasal spray, you should:
▪ Peel back the packaging and remove the naloxone.
▪ Place the nozzle in one of the patient’s nostrils.
▪ Press the plunger to release the dose.
▪ Do not test the spray before administering it, since each device only contains a single dose.
In order to inject naloxone, you should:
▪ Remove the vial of naloxone.
▪ Remove the needle.
▪ With the vial facing upside-down, insert the syringe into the vial, pull back the plunger, and fill the syringe to a milliliter.
▪ Inject into an upper arm or thigh muscle.
How to spot an opioid overdose
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, if someone’s displaying any of the following symptoms, it could be a sign they’re overdosing on opioids:
▪ Pale face or clammy skin.
▪ Their body goes limp.
▪ Blue or purple lips or fingernails.
▪ Vomiting or gurgling.
▪ They’re unable to speak.
▪ You can’t wake them up.
▪ Their breathing slows or stops.
▪ Their heartbeat slows or stops.