NAMPA, Idaho — Nampa Fire and EMS not only provide Narcan to people who need it when responding, they also continue the overcoming of opioid addiction by following up and helping find support.
- If you need help or support helping someone else, you can find more local info at Nampa Narcan.
- What happens after someone is administered Narcan is equally important, connecting those survivors with community resources.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Overdoses happen often in Nampa and like most cities, first responders are armed with Narcan, the life-saving overdose reversal drug.
"On every apparatus at Nampa Fire, we carry a few overdose kits. We use these when we identify at-risk people in our community," Batallion Chief Ted Hardy says of the kits.
They also leave Narcan behind in case it's needed again as part of the Nampa Narcan Initiative that started in 2023.
"We have a pamphlet that we can leave behind. Within the pamphlet is information on using the Narcan, there's also a 1-800 contact number that puts them in touch with counselors, they can get into treatment," Hardy continues.
The initiative isn't unique to Nampa but a key component is. What happens after someone is administered Narcan is equally important; connecting those survivors with community resources.
Nampa's EMS Chief Tom Wright says, "Ours is the only one that uses a peer support component to it, where our peer support representative will touch base with them, make contact, get them, they know which drug center or which facility helps them the best and gets them assisted into getting admitted into a treatment program and then follows up with them on a monthly basis. "
And that's where Jake Evans comes in. Ten years sober of opioids himself, he's made it his business to help people who want to overcome their addictions.
"And it's like, here's three options you can go to that can accept you right now. And you know what's even better is that if they can't accept you right now, I'm going to get you to the Caldwell Crisis Center. You call me as soon as you're out and have your case manager call me and I'll set up transportation from point A to point B for you," Evans says.
The Nampa Narcan Initiative is funded in part by settlement money from opiate manufacturers. Just over a year into the initiative, Nampa EMS tells me 226 people have been admitted for treatment. 42 of those have been clean for over 6 months.
"And that's a huge difference maker is the fact that like we have our police, our fire, our emergency room systems, our emergency response systems, the providers in the community, everybody's behind this idea. And I think that's really what's driving the change, the success that we're seeing," Evans says.
