Project DAWN comes to Lake Township

May 8, 2023

This evening, Lake Township Fire became the first Wood County fire/EMS department to take part in the Project DAWN Leave-it-Behind naloxone program.

"You can make a couple bad decisions and that can change the course of your life," Anthony Dible told our crews at drill tonight.

Dible is the Opiod Prevention Program Coordinator with the Toledo Lucas-County Health Department. But, he used to be addicted to drugs.

He shared his story with your Lake Township firefighters before explaining the new program. He said one of the experiences that helped the most was caring, compassionate first responders.

"Just be treating me like a human," Dible said. "Having that positive interaction helped push me in the right direction."

Project DAWN -- named after an overdose victim -- is state-funded and managed locally by the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department. Sylvania Twp. Fire/EMS, Springfield Twp. Fire Department, and Toledo Fire & Rescue are the other three participating fire/EMS departments, according to the TLCHD.

Each kit contains a Naloxone nasal spray, instructions, and resources for recovery.

"This makes sense, not just for the people who live in Lake Township, Millbury, and Walbridge -- but for people traveling through our jurisdiction," Chief Barrett Dorner said.

"They may stop at one of the truck stops on I-280, overdose, and we can give them our Naloxone to bring them back -- but they can overdose again," Chief Dorner said.

"Now a family is on the turnpike waiting for emergency crews while their loved one isn't breathing, and who could be who knows how far away help is."

"If we can give their friends or family a tool that's already out there, it's just another way we can live up to our mission and help save a life," firefighter/paramedic Becky Rosebrock said. FF/P Rosebrock is the Community Risk Reduction Coordinator for LTFD.

“While we might not know it, we’re probably only one or two degrees away from someone struggling with addiction or who has recovered from it,” Rosebrock said.

Project DAWN kits will be in each front-line fire engine, truck, and ambulance, and available to anyone who requests it. You can also request a kit through our website at laketwpfd.org/dawn.