City Council approves purchase of a second Narcan vending machine
Wichita Falls city councilors on Tuesday voted to earmark $3,000 in funding from the Texas Opioid Abatement Settlement Funding for the purchase of a Naloxone vending machine.
The machines dispense what is commonly called Narcan, a medicine that can reverse the effects of opioid overdoses. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that has been rampant in Wichita County for the past few years.
Dr. Sandra Vergara, an oral surgeon and founder of the Action Against Opioids group in Wichita Falls, told councilors that since 2022, Wichita Falls police have responded to 141 opioid overdose calls that have resulted in 47 deaths, mostly of young people.
She said the actual number of overdoses in Wichita Falls is more than the statistics confirm.
The machines dispense packets that contain two free doses of Naloxone nasal spray. The first machine was installed at Faith Mission on Monday.
Vergara said she hopes another machine can be placed at Midwestern State University. She said users only have to enter their zip code to receive a packet from the machine.
Vergara said sometimes drug dealers sell the Narcan along with fentanyl, which she called "awful."
In other action, councilors:
Voted to spend $760,173 to overhaul a compactor at the city landfill.
Voted to spend $75,880 to replace an air-conditioning unit for the network and server room at the Public Safety Training Center.
Voted to spend $485,530 to replace the roof at the Wichita Falls Public Library.
Voted to spend $170,928 to construct a multi-use court at Bridwell Park.
More: 'Lifesaver for Wichita Falls': Faith Mission dedicates Narcan vending machine
More: New Narcan vending machine is installed inside the downtown Faith Mission.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: City Council approves purchase of a second Narcan vending machine
