DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Public Health of Dayton and Montgomery County is restarting their Narcan-box program, placing life saving measures inside businesses to allow bystanders to be first responders. The program was paused during the pandemic while businesses were closed.

Public Health says there are 50 boxes in 19 different locations throughout the county that have been serving the public for two years. The exact location hasn’t been released yet, but staff say this is one more measure to take to fight the opioid crisis.

“It’s to either revive someone from an opioid overdose or just give time for first responders to get there,” said Public Health Dayton & Montgomery County Community Overdose Action Team Project Manager Dawn Schwartz.

Public Health says Montgomery County businesses have the opportunity of a lifetime, becoming first responders in the opioid epidemic with nalox boxes. Each box contains two doses and are strategically placed inside high-traffic and high-risk buildings.

“Any suburb, in the mall, dentist office, just pretty much any business you go into,” said Schwartz. “Realistically, if you have a business where you have a following and people coming in and out, it can happen any time of day, on any day of any year.”

Public Health has recorded 229 accidental overdose deaths in 2022 and is expecting more by the end of the year, so they’re urging businesses to take action.

“This is safe to use, if someone is just having a seizure and you use naloxone, it will not harm them in any way,” said Schwartz.

To obtain Narcan for your business, contact Dawn Schwartz, Community Overdose Action Team Project Manager, Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County at (937) 225-6026.