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Ward 4 reported most overdoses in 2024; Narcan use and targeted programs credited while Food Friday serves hundreds weekly
Summary
Office of Emergency Management reported Ward 4 led the city in overdoses in 2024, with two fatal overdoses and Narcan reported in 77% of cases; officials described harm-reduction programs, a vending machine, and other outreach. The OEM also described Food Friday, which distributes about 275 weekly food boxes to support roughly 840 residents city-
The Office of Emergency Management presented data showing Ward 4 recorded the most overdoses in Annapolis in 2024 and outlined outreach and harm-reduction programs aimed at reducing fatalities.
OEM staff told the committee Ward 4 had the highest number of reported overdoses in 2024 and recorded two fatal overdoses in that ward. Presenters said Narcan (naloxone) was used in about 77 percent of overdose incidents reported in Ward 4. OEM staff identified Newtown Drive and nearby streets as a concentrated area for overdoses, saying roughly 60.8 percent of Ward 4 overdoses occurred along the Newtown Drive corridor.
The committee heard descriptions of several city and partner programs, including NapTown Anti Dope, the fire department's Your Life Matters program, Annapolis Police Department substance-use-disorder outreach, and OD Free Annapolis (a mayoral initiative run through OEM with police, fire and health department participation). OEM staff said the city maintains a public-facing dashboard for overdose statistics and an odfreeannapolis website for program information.
Committee members asked whether harm-reduction vending machines and mobile wellness van outreach correlated with reductions in overdoses in other wards. Presenters said Ward 6 had a sharp decline in overdoses since 2018 (from 73 in 2018 to 15 in the most recent year) and attributed that change to a combination of aggressive outreach, a health-department wellness van, community liaisons and a harm-reduction vending machine in the neighborhood. Officials cautioned that while those programs appear to have helped, a variety of interventions contributed to the decline and further evaluation is needed.
Food Friday: OEM staff described the Food Friday program that prepares and distributes roughly 275 boxes of fresh and nonperishable food each week, serving about 840 Annapolis residents. For Ward 4 specifically, staff reported 28 food boxes delivered weekly to 28 families (97 individuals), including seniors and children, and listed the neighborhoods and delivery percentages; staff also said they believed the Ward 4 count might be higher and offered to confirm the exact number after the meeting.
Presenters asked the health department for the cost of additional harm-reduction vending machines; the health department representative did not provide a cost at the meeting and agreed to follow up. OEM staff also said they coordinate program funding and will present budget needs during the city budgeting process.
