5 Overdose Aid Kits being placed around Rock Co.

ROCK COUNTY, Wis. (WMTV) - Five Overdose Aid Kits (O.A.K. box) are being installed at various locations around Rock County Thursday.

As substance abuse continue to rise, area nonprofits Start Healing Now and Families Fighting Addiction partnered to place the O.A.K. boxes, which contain the life-saving medication Narcan.

According to Families Fighting Addiction, Rock County has the fifth largest number of overdoses per capita in Wisconsin. Founder Tracy Burtis said this is why the community can’t stop at five boxes.

“A system like this allows people to pick up the medication, take it to whoever they think may need it, and it’ll save lives and it has saves lives. It can save Rock County lives and that is the goal.”

President of Start Healing Now Jessica Geschke said the O.A.K. boxes should be placed everywhere there is a defibrillator.

“We want the O.A.K. to be a household brand name,” Geschke said. “We want them in every school in Wisconsin, we want them in every community, ever gas station, hotel, every bank, everywhere you walk and see an AED machine on the wall, we want an O.A.K. box next to it.”

Organizers placed the first box at Blackhawk Credit Union in Beloit. Three additional boxes will be placed in Beloit, and one in Janesville, according to Families Fighting Addiction.

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