The Lafayette County Fire Department is hosting free Narcan classes for its firefighters and the general public.

The classes are being presented by Emily Presley with Communicare who will demonstrate how and when to use Narcan.

The free courses, open to everyone, will be held at 2 p.m. on Aug. 17 and at 6 p.m. on Aug. 27 at the Central Fire Station.

You only need to attend one course.

The course generally takes about an hour and those attending will receive a free Narcan kit.

Narcan, or the generic name naloxone, is a medication that rapidly reverses the effects of opioid overdose and is the standard treatment for opioid overdose.

In 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for over-the-counter, nonprescription, use.

When someone overdoses on an opioid, like fentanyl, hydrocodone or even heroin, after Narcan is administered, the patient can go from being unconscious to sitting up and talking in 2 to 5 minutes.