Cottage Grove Public Safety is proud to expand naloxone training to all nonpublic safety staff in a joint venture with Rise Up Recovery. The two groups organized a training for staff from the public works and parks and recreation (which includes the Cottage Grove Ice Arena and River Oaks Golf Course and Event Center) departments.
Like most communities in Minnesota, Cottage Grove has seen an increase in opiate related overdoses. “This public health crisis can’t be solved by one group, nor can it be put into silos where groups don’t help each other and our neighbors battling with addiction,” said Public Safety Director Peter Koerner. “We’re going to do everything we can as a public safety agency to ensure those who visit or live in Cottage Grove and experience an overdose have as great a chance as possible to stay alive and seek treatment.”
Cottage Grove has received $126,000 to date in settlement money from when we joined the state and similar communities in a lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies for being a major factor in the rise of opiate addiction and addiction-related deaths. We plan to take substantive action with these funds to attempt to make a difference in the lives of our citizens and those who visit Cottage Grove who are experiencing addiction or have family members or friends who need help with their addiction.
“When our citizens need help, our entire city organization works as one team,” said Cottage Grove Police Department Community Engagement Officer Dan Schoen. “Moments like these life-and-death scenarios are moments where, regardless of your job assignment, we need to act quickly and together to save lives. These are moments when seconds count, and if it were one of my family members, I would pray there was as little delay as humanly possible.”
The South Washington County Telecommunications Commission partnered with CGPD and Rise Up Recovery to make this video about the training and importance of naloxone and overdose education.
