HOUGHTON — Copper Shores Outreach & Education has announced free Narcan training sessions aimed at equipping community members with vital skills to respond to opioid overdoses and save lives. They will take place on Thursday in Houghton and Sept. 23 in Baraga.

Naloxone (Narcan) is a life-saving medication that can reverse opioid overdoses. Narcan is an opiate antidote which works in much the same manner as an epinephrine injection (EpiPen) reverses an allergic reaction. Opioids include heroin and prescription pain pills like OxyContin, Percocet, methadone and Vicodin.

When a person is overdosing from an opioid, their central nervous system and respiration system is depressed and breathing slows or stops.

Naloxone blocks the effects of opioids and reverses the effects of an overdose.

“Now more than ever, individuals are encouraged to prepare themselves with the training and confidence they need to respond quickly in an overdose situation,” Copper Shores Prevention Coordinator Lisa Simpson said. “Narcan training equips individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to respond effectively in an opioid overdose emergency.”

This training is designed to provide participants with knowledge on how to use Narcan effectively and understand its role in emergency situations.

Topics include:

≤ The ability to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose.

≤ To administer the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone.

≤ To understand the role of harm reduction in the overall opioid public health crisis.

Naloxone layperson training dates, times & locations:

≤ Thursday, Sept. 19 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Portage Lake District Library (4585 W. Lakeshore Drive, Houghton)

≤ Monday, Sept. 23 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Ojibwa Community Library (409 Superior Ave., Baraga)

All community members are welcome to attend, and no prior experience is required. Narcan training is offered free of charge and takes approximately one hour to complete.

After completing training, attendees will receive a free Narcan kit that can be administered in the field and save a life.

The training is part of Copper Shores Outreach & Education’s ongoing efforts to enhance community health and safety.

An earlier training session was held Sept. 10 in Lake Linden.

Sign up:

Registration is not required, but recommended. To register for Narcan training, contact Lisa Simpson by calling 906-523-5920 ext. 2062 or emailing lsimpson@coppershores.org.

Learn more about training sessions and programs offered by Copper Shores Outreach & Education, by visiting coppershores.org/outreach-and-education.