First Aid Kits with Naloxone and Defibrillators Installed in 28 City Buildings

City Manager Louis A. DePasquale and Mayor Marc McGovern announced today the installation of publicly accessible first aid kits in 28 city buildings.
 
Each location has a “NaloxBox” kit mounted on the wall with two doses of the opioid overdose reversal medication naloxone (Narcan™), rubber gloves, and a rescue breathing device, as well as an AED cabinet with a defibrillator and a “Stop the Bleed” kit to stop traumatic bleeding. 
 
The city will also roll out on-site voluntary first aid training to all interested city employees that will cover CPR, defibrillator use, and how to reverse an overdose.
 
“A medical emergency can happen anytime and any place, and every second counts when someone isn’t breathing,” said City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “A bystander giving someone CPR, administering naloxone, or restarting someone’s heart in the minute before an ambulance arrives can make the difference between life and death.” 
 
“We know that naloxone saves lives,” said Mayor Marc McGovern. “By having this simple-to-administer medication available in city buildings, we have the opportunity to prevent someone from dying from an overdose.” 
 
First aid kit locations include city hall, the Citywide Senior Center, youth centers, and the Department of Public Works. The city will explore additional locations in 2020.
 
“The first aid kits are a visible symbol of how much this city cares about people struggling with substance use disorders and are an important step in expanding naloxone access to bystanders,” said Police Commissioner Branville G. Bard, Jr., who co-chairs of the city’s newly formed Substance Use Advisory Committee. 
 
Commissioner Bard noted that all ProEMS medical personnel, fire department paramedics and EMTS, and police officers have access to naloxone. Collectively, they administer this life-saving medication over 100 times a year.


Naloxone cannot be misused and has no significant adverse side effects, making it safe to use in all situations, according to the health department. 
 

For residents who want to learn how to recognize and respond to an overdose, the Cambridge Public Health Department offers a free one-hour overdose prevention training every month. Information about the training is available on the health department’s website.

 
The health department also supports local businesses and nonprofits by offering free overdose prevention trainings for staff and helping them establish protocols for responding to overdoses on their premises. 
 
“We urge everyone to become familiar with the signs of overdose, which include unresponsiveness, slow or no breathing, and blue lips or fingertips” said Claude Jacob, the city’s Chief Public Health Officer and director of the Cambridge Public Health Department. “If you think someone is experiencing an overdose or is in any way incapacitated, please call 911 immediately.” 
 
For questions about this initiative or the free overdose prevention trainings, please contact Tali Schiller at the Cambridge Public Health Department at naschiller@challiance.org.