BOARDMAN — The Coalition for a Drug-Free Mahoning County and the Boardman Holiday Inn are recognizing National Overdose Awareness Day today with the installation of a Naloxbox, a specialized emergency preparedness kit that contains Narcan brand naloxone and is housed on-site for use in case of a suspected opioid-related emergency.

The Boardman installation is the second Naloxbox installed through the state’s program. The first box, located in the Comfort Inn and Suites in Liberty, was installed on National Overdose Awareness Day 2021.

Angela DiVito, executive director of the coalition, said, “What we’d like the community to understand is that naloxone — also known as Narcan — is a medical intervention that saves lives.

“Overdose can happen when fentanyl is used or is added to another drug, or when a patient accidentally takes too much of their prescription opioid. All these are lives worth saving, and the individuals may fully recover when naloxone is administered quickly,” she said.

DiVito said having naloxone readily available can make all the difference in the event of an opioid overdose; it’s simple and fast-acting. “Administering naloxone is low-risk; naloxone will not harm a person who does not need it.”

A limited number of Naloxboxes are available for Mahoning County businesses through the Coalition for a Drug-Free Mahoning County, call 330-771-7732.

Ohio residents can receive a free Narcan kit by viewing a training video online or in-person at their county’s public health department and completing a Project DAWN request. In Mahoning County, Project DAWN Narcan kits are available through Mahoning County Public Health, 330-270-2855, Ext. 125, or https://www.mahoninghealth.org/project-dawn/