STURGEON BAY (NBC 26) — The owner of a vending machine in Sturgeon Bay is making Narcan readily available for anyone who needs it.
Located outside of a soon-to-be thrift shop, the vending machine can be found near Door County Habitat for Humanity.
"I think it's just important to have in today's society and if it can save one life it was worth everything," said co-owner Elijah Phillips.
Phillips has installed the vending machine for Narcan outside his business.
"All you got to do is type in the number and it comes out day or night, said Phillips.
Elijah Phillips is the co-founder ofNew Door Sober Living group, a non-profit that helps individuals manage their sobriety, along with his partner Angie Levens.
Aside from Narcan, the vending machine also has other lifesaving tools like fentanyl test strips and CPR shields are available.
"There is the CPR shields, which are to safely do CPR on somebody," pointed out Levens.
They have made it their mission to assist people in the community through sobriety.
"I've lost a lot of friends here recently through the opiate epidemic. I myself am 10 years clean here in August, and it's just it's not easy to get," said Phillips.
Phillips says there is a need for these products to be available.
According to the Door County Sheriff's Office 2022 annual report, a total of 301.1 grams of fentanyl was seized by investigations and patrol last year.
"The reality of it is, we have addicts and I would rather somebody be safe and have the opportunity to come to us when they're ready to be sober and so Narcan saves lives,” said Levens.
The machine has been available for less than a week. It is completely free and designed to make the process of getting life-saving help feel more anonymous.
So far, three Narcan kits and two Fentanyl test strips have already been distributed.
Angie says this machine could make all the difference.
"We've known several people who have died from overdose and had that been an option, maybe they wouldn't be where they are today," said Levens.
