WAUSAU, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – The Marathon County Health Department says there has been a recent increase in drug overdoses. They’ve issued an overdose spike alert.
“For an overdose spike alert to happen in Marathon County, there has to be three or more non-fatal overdoses in one day, where emergency medical services or the emergency department is involved,” said Jenna Flynn, a Public Health Educator for the Marathon County Health Department.
The alerts use data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, and are put in place to inform communities and invite conversation in those communities, to prevent future overdoses, fatal and non-fatal.
“It’s important to notify the public of these alerts and make people aware that there could be lethal substances in our community in order to get people the access they need to life-saving resources,” Flynn said.
The presence of this type of alert does not change the messaging from the United Way of Marathon County, but heightens its message of starting conversations about substances and addiction.
“A lot of times, if you open up to somebody, it’s surprising how many others may have some experience with that, whether it’s addiction themselves, or having known or loved somebody who’s worked through a recovery process,” said Sarah Hall, the 211 Line Operations Coordinator for the United Way of Marathon County.
The Marathon County Health Department says if you see someone that could overdose, call 911 and if you have it, give the person Narcan. Free Narcan can be found at Vivent Health in Schofield, the lobby of the Marathon County Jail, the Wausau Comprehensive Treatment Center, and North Central Health Care.
