VIDEO: This week, Aurora Fire Rescue launched a new program that places naloxone kits directly in the hands of overdose survivors and their loved ones.
It’s a move department officials say could mean the difference between life and death in a city where opioid overdoses have become an almost daily emergency.
The Narcan Leave-Behind Program equips every fire truck with an initial supply of five naloxone kits, funded through a state grant that provided the department with 950 kits in total.
Narcan is the brand name of naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal drug. First responders will distribute the kits to individuals who have experienced or witnessed an opioid-related overdose, along with instructions and QR codes linking to treatment resources and guidance on how to use the medication.
Dr. Eric Hill, medical director for Aurora Fire Rescue, said the program was born out of a sobering reality. In 2025, the department administered naloxone more than 500 times and responded to more than 300 suspected opioid-related overdoses.
“When you look at the, you know, the number one cause of death, certainly the preventable causes of death that we have really in our city, it’s really tied to the opioid epidemic,” Hill said. “Every single month, almost every single day, we run on these types of calls and we administer Narcan.”
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