WILLMAR, MN—Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Dave Baker, R-Willmar, and his wife Mary took part in a training session Wednesday hosted by Steve Rummler Hope Foundation to train a group of volunteers who can now train first responders throughout the Southwest region of the state to administer Naloxone, also commonly known as Narcan. Thanks to $290,000 in new funding from the legislature, many first responders across the state will be equipped with the drug, which can reverse the effects of an overdose and has the potential to save dozens of lives per year.
The training session was conducted by Dr. Paul Satterlee, and is part of the Steve Rummler Hope Foundation's efforts to help naloxone funding stretch even further. Rather than requiring police departments, fire departments, and other medical first responders to pay for expensive medical training sessions using state funding for naloxone, participants in Wednesday's training will now be able to train first responders free of charge. As a result, more of the $290,000 in new funding can go directly to supplying first responders with the life-saving drug.
"The Steve Rummler Hope Foundation is playing a big role in putting this life-saving drug in the hands of first responders across the state," Baker said. "I'm grateful for their efforts, and want to do what I can to make sure we stretch every dollar of funding so it can save lives."
Baker was the chief author of efforts in 2015 boost funding to put naloxone in the hands of first responders as a way to fight drug overdoses.
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