ABOVE: Zach Taylor, right, hands Cole Sharp free Narcan and fentanyl test strip packets, no questions asked, which will now be available for the forseeable future at Recovery in Motion in Fairmont.

FAIRMONT – Recovery in Motion is now offering free Narcan nasal spray and fentanyl test strips to anyone 18 and older, no questions asked or information taken.

There are also no location limits, so those outside Fairmont with no local options to get Narcan or fentanyl test strips are free to stop in.

The opportunity arose when the Steve Rummler Hope Network (SRHN) and Recovery in Motion decided to partner up. The SRHN works on Narcan training and distribution across Minnesota.

Recovery in Motion Outreach Coordinator Zach Taylor said Southern Minnesota is a desert when it comes to Narcan access.

“We’re one of the only ones in the area that do this,” he said. “There’s this big semi-circle of area where there’s no coverage.”

Taylor said Narcan is often given by doctors to people prescribed opiates in the event of accidental overdose. By providing Narcan and fentanyl test strips with no questions asked, Taylor said they are looking to reduce stigma around looking for and having it.

“It’s truly good,” he said. “If you’ve got a neighbor you know is using opioids or you’re in recovery and know you might come across people that might need that sort of thing.”

Even if you don’t know anyone who uses opioids, legal or otherwise, Taylor said having Narcan can save a life if you stumble upon an overdosing person. He’s seen this in action, as he stopped to help an overdosing man in a hotel parking lot.

“I gave him mouth-to-mouth and CPR,” Taylor said. “Got him breathing to the point where the authority showed up and hit him with Narcan twice, brought him back twice.”

Nasal spray Narcan works by taking the cap off the spray, pushing it into the nasal cavity, and squeezing the entire contents in. The test strips work by putting the substance in a shot glass and then the test strip. If the strip shows as reactive, there is fentanyl.

Taylor said these materials are 100 percent life-saving, especially with the rise of fentanyl and its contamination of other substances. Even marijuana has been found laced with fentanyl.

Even four or five years ago, Taylor said these methods were not readily available. Narcan used to be an injection, which he said could complicate aid efforts.

“A lot of people wouldn’t even want to hit somebody with a needle,” Taylor said. “It’s a total stranger and they’re on the ground.”

Recovery in Motion is currently hosting a giveaway Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but materials can be acquired anytime they are open. They can also be requested when Recovery in Motion is closed by using the Ring doorbell.

For more information, visit https://recoveryinmotionmn.com/ or call 507-432-9740.