EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire joined a growing list of colleges in making Narcan readily available on campus to help prevent overdose deaths.

What You Need To Know

  • Nineteen Nalox-ZONE boxes have been installed in UW-Eau Claire's residence halls and other high-traffic areas, including the Davies Center, Zorn Arena, Hilltop Center and McIntyre Library

  • Each Nalox-ZONE box includes to Narcan nasal sprays — the device that has the opioid reversal drug naloxone — as well as masks and instructions

  • Two students at UW-Milwaukee's campuses died last year from overdoses, and the move is a part of the UW System's effort to increase awareness and prevent overdoses

Nineteen Nalox-ZONE boxes have been installed in residence halls and other areas on campus, which holds two Narcan nasal sprays — the device that delivers naloxone, the opioid reversal drug. The boxes also include masks for rescue breathing and instructions on how to use the medication.

Areas with the boxes include the Davies Center, Zorn Arena, Hilltop Center, McIntyre Library and other high-traffic areas. 

The Nalox-ZONE boxes are available for students, faculty, staff or campus visitors to use, said Brian Drollinger, director of risk management, safety and sustainability at UW-Eau Claire, in a statement.

"Anyone can grab one these boxes in an emergency,” Drollinger said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a student hanging out in a dorm or a community member attending a sporting event. If you’re comfortable helping, the boxes are there with the Narcan and instructions on how to use it.”

When a Nalox-ZONE box is opened, campus police or other emergency providers won't be alerted. 

“It’s always good to call 911, but it will be up to each person to decide what they are comfortable doing,” Drollinger said. “Anyone can open it at any time and the police will not be notified."

Instead, the risk management, safety and sustainability department will receive a notification to resupply the boxes within 24-72 hours. 

The move is a part of the university's effort to make the community more aware about the dangers and increased presence of opioids. 

Last year, the UW System created posters and social media posts intended to make people aware of the opioid crisis, the signs of an opioid overdose, and how to help someone who is overdosing.

Two students at UW-Milwaukee overdosed and died after taking counterfeit Percocet pills that were laced with fentanyl in 2021. Christy Prust, a health educator in UW-Eau Claire’s Student Health Service, said their parents are among the group advocating for Nalox-ZONE boxes to be installed around campuses.

"The parents are pushing us to educate our students about fentanyl and to get the Narcan boxes out there,” Prust said. “Their kids died, and they don’t want it to happen to anyone else.”

UW-Milwaukee also installed Nalox-ZONE boxes across campus this year in all residential housing lobbies and in the lobbies of other campus buildings on UWM’s three campuses. This includes Golda Meir Library, the UWM Student Union and the main entrances of UWM at Washington County and UWM at Waukesha.

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