Westmoreland County’s Norwin School District is going to start stocking the anti-opioid drug Naloxone, also called Narcan, in its school nurses’ offices in the beginning of this year. According to Superintendent William Kerr, training for coaches, nurses, and administrators is planned for February.

The number of deaths led by opioid overdose in the area continues to skyrocket, due to which an increasing number of school districts has started keeping the drug on hand. According to the website OverdoseFreePA, since 2009, the number of heroin-related overdose deaths in Westmoreland County has doubled.

The number has tripled in Allegheny County, and the rates don’t include overdoses from prescription opiates, like fentanyl or oxycodone. Kerr said it is the surge in the rates of overdose that has made the district took a decision to keep Naloxone in hand. He said that they required being quite proactive to ensure that they did their part to save lives. Schools received permission to stock and administer the drug under Act 139 of 2014.

In a letter sent to all of Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts in September, Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera said that he is motivating school districts to keep Naloxone on hand.

Rivera wrote, “Many school districts across the state have equipped their personnel with this life-saving medication. While not required, these actions demonstrate a significant – and commendable – commitment to the health and well-being of students and all Pennsylvanians”.

Following, a number of local school districts have started carrying it, like Charleroi and Ringgold school districts, both of which are located in Washington County.

Ringgold superintendent Karen Polkabla mentioned that the drug Narcan isn’t unlike the automatic external defibrillators usually found inside schools. She hoped that neither is needed, but if they ever are, the schools will have them.