BOONE COUNTY, Ind. -- To help combat the Indiana's heroin crisis, the Boone County Health Department gave free Narcan training Monday to those who wanted to learn how to administer the drug.
Narcan helps people come back from overdoses, but first responders sometimes have to use multiple doses, due to special chemicals like fentanyl and carfentanil in the heroin.
Fentanyl is used as a surgical anesthetic. Carfentanil is used as a tranquilizer for large animals.
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Boone County health officials hope equipping people with the skill will help save lives. In 2016, Indianapolis EMS crews used 1,818 doses of Narcan, a more than 220-percent increase from five years earlier.
Holly Bland of Lebanon, Indiana participated in the training.
"As a citizen, I see a growing trend in the Lebanon community alone with people using drugs and overdosing," Bland said. "I grew up here -- born and raised. My husband and I were both born and raised here. We just see it growing in our community. It's important to get knowledge on the subject."
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Those who sat through Monday's Narcan class and passed a test were able to take a dose of Narcan home.
