ARLINGTON, Va. — Officials in Arlington County will be hosting a free event for the public that aims to educate residents on how to administer the overdose-reversing drug Naloxone, also known as Narcan.
Narcan is a brand of Naloxone and is said to be an effective medication when reversing an opioid overdose, including prescription painkillers, heroin, and fentanyl.
Signs of an Overdose
- Slow or shallow breathing
- Cold or clammy skin
- Blue or grey skin, fingertips, or lips
- Deep gurgling or rattling snore (also known as the death rattle)
- Sleeping and cannot be woken up
- Unresponsive to stimuli (like an earlobe pinch or sternum rub)
How to Respond to an Overdose
- Check for responsiveness
- Call 911
- Administer nalxone/NARCAN
- Provide rescue breaths or chest compressions if the person does not respond to the medication
- Readminister NARCAN after 3 minutes (if the person did not respond) or if the person overdoses again when the medication wears off in 45-90 minutes
How to get Narcan for free
There are several ways to get Narcan in Arlington County. While area pharmacies stock the overdose-reversing drug, Narcan is also available 24/7 at the Arlington County Department of Human Services, Crisis Intervention Center located at 2120 Washington Blvd. Residents may also request Narcan free through the mail by completing or emailing narcan@arlingtonva.us.
Click here for more options on where to find free Naloxone in Arlington County.
How to use Narcan properly
The public is welcome to schedule a free one-hour virtual Narcan training, or a 10-minute abridged training over the phone, by emailing narcan@arlingtonva.us.
The Arlington County Board will receive this training from the Department of Human Services during a Recessed Meeting on Tuesday, March 21
“I view this as a basic emergency response skill for everyone in our community, and we are looking forward to having Human Services join us on Tuesday to share just how quick and easy it is to receive training that can save someone’s life,” Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey said.
The meeting will be available for viewing on the county's website and YouTube channel, as well as live on Arlington TV, the County’s cable channel.