From Jan. 1 to Aug. 18, Boulder Fire-Rescue responded to 121 opioid-related emergencies in the city — roughly one every other day. Officials say this number is likely an undercount. Now, when firefighters and paramedics respond to these calls, they can leave something behind that could help save a life: a naloxone kit.
As part of a new initiative, Boulder Fire-Rescue will start leaving Narcan nasal spray kits behind with patients, callers and bystanders to help reduce fatal overdoses. The kits are provided for free by The Naloxone Project, a Denver-based nonprofit that works with hospitals, emergency medical responders and communities to distribute the drug. Each kit contains a nasal spray dose of 4 mg naloxone (the generic form of Narcan), plus cards in English and Spanish with usage instructions and local resources.
“One of the common issues is that somebody who is experiencing an opioid overdose is highly likely to have that occur again,” said Jenna Steege, chief of Boulder Fire-Rescue’s medical services division. By getting naloxone into the hands of people who can help or administer a dose quickly, she hopes to decrease overdose fatalities.
Steege stresses that people in Boulder who overdose aren’t only those with mental illness or substance abuse disorders. Patients prescribed opioids post-surgery or for chronic pain can have unpredictable reactions with other medications, she said.
“People ask me, ‘Why are you so passionate about leaving [kits] behind?’ And at the end of the day, it could be any of us,” Steege said.
Boulder County saw 34 deaths from opioid overdoses in 2024, according to state health data. Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl — often combined with other drugs — are a growing concern. Almost two-thirds of Boulder Fire-Rescue’s opioid cases this year involved synthetic products, which often require multiple doses of naloxone.
“Because of the opioids being mixed with other things, and a lot of times that person not knowing what it is mixed with and overdosing, it requires multiple doses of naloxone,” Steege said, stressing the importance of calling 911 even if a dose from the kit has been administered. “Because there is a potential that they need more medication.”
Firefighters will start with 10 kits per engine, with restocks supplied by The Naloxone Project. Boulder Fire-Rescue will also give out kits at certain community events, though they won’t be available on request at fire stations. Steege said the city’s ambulance contractor, American Medical Response, will also begin leaving kits behind.
