CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WEAU) - A new tool to help save lives in case of an emergency will soon be entering Chippewa County public schools.
Keeping the community safe is one of the main goals of the Chippewa County Department of Public Health. Now, a new effort to work towards this goal is underway with opioid aid kits in the county's public schools.
"Chippewa County is a very rural community and with the loss of a healthcare system, we know that accessing some of these life-saving resources has become more challenging," Allie Isaacson, a community health division manager with the Eau Claire Public Health Department, said.
In October, the Department of Public Health hosted a one pill can kill event where it educated community members about the signs of an opioid overdose and the risks of illegal substances.
"The response from schools was really incredible. We received a lot of great feedback and they were just wanting to know what more they could do," Isaacson said. "These overdose aid kits were kind of the next step."
The 32 kits were made possible through support from the Clinton Foundation and include Narcan spray, fentanyl testing kits, and a CPR barrier.
"When you're in a crisis situation, it's scary. There's a lot of adrenaline and unknowns happening," JoAnna Bernclau, a planning and promotions specialist with the Chippewa County Department of Public Health, said. "By providing a little bit of education and understanding beforehand, people are more equipped and might be a little bit calmer in responding to a crisis."
"We know that harm reduction doesn't enable use. Harm reduction is in a category that includes using seatbelts or wearing helmets when you're riding a bike," Isaacson said. "So this is just really another tool to help keep the community safe."
Bernclau said there have been no overdose incidents in the public schools. The kits hope to provide the resources to anyone who could benefit from them.
"Throughout all of our work, we really focus on safety and having open conversations," Isaacson said. "We know that recovery is not linear. We truly feel that every life is valuable."
On Thursday, there will be an installation event and assembly at the New Auburn High School where students will be told more details about the kits and how to use them.