Narcan Vending Machines Now in Service at Three Sedalia Locations

The Sedalia Area Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday afternoon held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Pettis County Health Center, 911 East 16th Street, one of three locations that have a Narcan vending machine.

The other locations, at which you can access free Narcan, are the Sedalia Municipal Building, 2nd and Osage, and State Fair Community College, 3201West 16th Street.

“One thing we want to stress, is teach your kids, teach your family members, let them know, this is something that needs to be in every first-aid cabinet to assist those who might have an accidental overdose, or intentional, in some cases. But please teach your family this is not a plaything for children, but it is definitely something that needs to be in everybody's first-aid kit,” said Pettis County Health Center Administrator Malinda Nevils, BSN, RN.

Nevils has served as administrator since March, 2023.

Nevils credited Community Mental Health Coordinator Dawn Williams with being the “fire” behind the project.

“She was able to help with the right words, with the right contacts, going before City Council, having discussions with our mayor, and we very much appreciate that,” she said of Williams.

Nevils also credited Youth Mental Health Educator Erica Elliott. “Erica has been great with the resources, going to football games, being in the schools, and providing education out in the community,” Nevils said, adding that the ribbon-cutting was an occasion to remember those we have lost (to Opioid overdose).

“Since these machines have gone out, they have been refilled twice now,” Nevils noted.

Opioids can slow or stop a person's breathing during an overdose. Narcan can quickly restore normal breathing, typically within 2 to 3 minutes.

The brand name Narcan (naloxone) is a life-saving medication used to rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. It works by acting as an opioid antagonist, which means it attaches to the brain's opioid receptors and blocks other opioids from binding to them, effectively displacing the opioids already present.

It is most frequently administered as a nasal spray by bystanders or an injection into a large muscle.

The machines were installed about two weeks ago, and accessible 24/7.

Get our free mobile app

Sedalia Mayor Andrew Dawson attended the ceremony on Wednesday, and helped hold one end of the red Chamber ribbon cut by Dawn Williams in front of a Narcan dispensing machine. Nevils held the other end.

“It's a great day. I just want to thank Dawn Williams and Malinda (Nevils) from the health department, also the Mental Health Coalition for spearheading this. They really took an idea that came out of that coalition and then transformed that into reality, which is what we see here, so people can gave access to these life-saving drugs,” Mayor Dawson told KSIS after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Dawson compared the Narcan to a fire extinguisher in your house.

“You hope you never have a fire, you hope you're never a witness to a fire, but when you do have a fire, it's important to have one. It's the same thing with Narcan, it's just like that fire extinguisher,” Dawson said.

Operating the machine is very simple. Just punch in the number to the corresponding package you want and it will be dispensed. No charge.