INDIANAPOLIS — Wayne Township is tackling substance abuse head-on.
The township has about six opioid rescue kits placed in the community, and on Wednesday, they educated the community on what to do if they need one. A group of township residents came out to learn an important lesson — how to save a life using naloxone.
"We just don't know what the children are going to try. They don't always understand the ramifications of what they're going to get into," said Linda Johnson, who attended the meeting.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 million people have died since 1999 from a drug overdose. The Wayne Township Trustee's Office invited "Overdose Lifeline" to educate people about what substance abuse looks like in the community.
"It's hard to find someone that has not been affected by the substance use disorder. Or they know someone and it's a community problem and it's touching all lives," Overdose Lifeline diversity outreach manager Charlotte Crabtree said.
Johnson came out in honor of her brother, who died from a drug overdose, and for her grandson and his friends, who regularly hang out in her garage.
"If something happened out there, they have no way of helping their friend if it happened to be drugs," Johnson said.
Ramona Coan-Ward came to the meeting to learn how to help save lives she might not even know.
"It's important. I feel everyone should be aware and be prepared to do something to save a life," Coan-Ward said.
Their goal is to save lives and provide hope, so they no longer have to suffer in silence.
"It is a chronic illness. It can be managed. It's OK, you're a person. You're a person and a human being, and every life is precious." Crabtree said.
Five of the overdose rescue boxes are at fire stations around Wayne Township. They include Narcan nasal spray and fentanyl test strips. They can be accessed anytime, and the contents are free.
For more information about Narcan training, visit the Overdose Lifeline website.