LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Louisville Fire Department now has naloxone distribution boxes at all its fire stations. This follows a Vital Strategies radio campaign that began in the summer to raise awareness about the rise in overdose deaths in Black communities and to educate listeners about harm reduction.
B96.5’s on-air personality, Bella Rae, stepped outside of her studio to interview Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neill. She had an exciting announcement for her listeners.
“We have finally got Narcan in every single firehouse,” Bella Rae said.
Bella Rae is one of two radio hosts who participated in the 12-week radio campaign. It was successful in identifying the need to increase naloxone access, especially within Black communities, who are being particularly impacted by the opioid crisis.
Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness and the LFD partnered to have naloxone distribution boxes at over 20 fire stations across Louisville.
“We labeled seven houses our priority houses and put larger naloxone boxes on those houses so throughout those 21, every station can hold at least six,” said Capt. Donovan Sims with the Louisville Fire Department. “Those larger stations can hold 12 naloxone boxes inside.”
The distribution boxes are placed on the outside of the fire stations for 24/7 access. People can just pop the door open and grab a free box. There are also instructions inside that tell people how to administer the lifesaving medicine.
“I just want you to go grab one,” Bella Rae said to her listeners in a social media video. “You don’t know if anybody is ever going to have an overdose wherever you are. I just want you to have it on hand.”
As someone who grew up in Louisville, she is thrilled to be part of this important campaign.
“I know that drugs, they have definitely been an impact to somebody’s life that you know, and I know that I started this campaign because of my best friend so best believe it impacts everybody, so this is exciting to be a part of something this big,” Bella Rae said.
She wants to keep up the momentum and see naloxone in more spaces.
“I’m asking JCPS to put it inside their schools,” Bella Rae said. “Every club, every restaurant, just have it on hand.”
People across Kentucky can visit this portal to find a location that distributes free naloxone nearby.