Narcan training hopes to stop overdoses in KC’s Historic Northeast
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It’s been said angels arrive in many forms.
One area of Kansas City seems to have a higher rate of drug overdoses than others do.
Community leaders in the city’s Historic Northeast neighborhood now provide security guards with doses of Narcan, meant to help addicts who are overdosing.
A group of Titan Security guards road Independence Avenue, where they’re affectionately known as “the Avenue Angels.”
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Two weeks ago, they were trained to administer Narcan, and now, each guard carries three doses in their car. Community leaders here say its necessary, and that the Old Northeast has a bigger problem with homeless addicts than other neighborhoods might.
“They are somebody’s son or somebody’s daughter,” Bobbi Baker-Hughes, who manages both the Independence Avenue Community Improvement District and the Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, said on Friday.
The CID hires the guards to respond to business operators concerns, especially those along Independence Avenue. Employees there said they’ve watched the problem grow during the past decade with the rise in fentanyl-related deaths.
“Everyone has heart for what’s happening out there on those streets. We don’t want to see the ODs. We don’t want to see those overdoses,” Baker-Hughes said.
Laura Cardwell, who also works for the community improvement district, said she appreciates this effort to help. Cardwell is also a recovering meth addict, who’s about to celebrate three years of sobriety. Cardwell also works to help homeless addicts on their own roads to recovery.
“One of my favorite things to keep at heart is dead people don’t find recovery. They can’t get to a place where they can again fee worth or be a member of society,” Cardwell said.
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The CID believes this is already making a difference, since one security guard used his Narcan on an overdosing person on Thursday.
The Northeast Chamber of Commerce will offer a training and information session concerning NARCAN and addiction on April 9. The lunchtime session will begin at noon. It’s open to the public, offering everyone a chance to learn more about ways to help addicts who are suffering.
The Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce is located at 2657 Independence Avenue.
