By Kendra Majors

All law enforcement officials and fire departments in Escambia County will soon be equipped with overdose reversal medicine.

Escambia County Chief Deputy Mike Lambert said that they have acquired 150 doses with two doses a pack of the Narcan nasal spray.

Narcan is a safe and effective medication that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose.

“We have reached out to all the fire departments – paid and volunteer,” he said. “And we will put them in all the law enforcement vehicles in Escambia County.”

Lambert said the project is joint among the sheriff’s department, drug court’s Denis Carlee and Circuit Judge Bradley Bryne.

The funding for the project, which costs $7,800, is coming from drug court, the sheriff’s office and contributions, Lambert said.

Lambert said there will be mandatory training for those who will have their vehicles equipped.

“Our RN will be doing that at no cost,” he said.

Narcan reverses the effects of opioids such as heroin, methadone, morphine, opium, codeine, fentanyl or hydrocodone.

Lambert said the goal is to save someone’s life.

Additionally, he said it could be used for law enforcement officials who could come in contact with drugs such as fentanyl.

“Overdoses are on a rise in Escambia County,” he said.