Walton County commissioners on Tuesday authorized a six-month pilot to install weatherproof naloxone (Narcan) rescue boxes at county-owned sites to make the opioid-overdose reversal medication broadly available in public areas.

Holly Holt, Walton County health officer, asked the board to “authorize a six-month pilot project with up to 10 self-standing rescue boxes at county-owned sites and direct staff to work with the Walton County Overdose Prevention Task Force to identify county-owned locations to place naloxone” and said the boxes are intended to raise community awareness and provide immediate access in emergency situations. Tracy Voss of the sheriff’s office told commissioners the program will be coordinated with Walton County Fire Rescue and task-force partners for monitoring and restocking.

The presentation outlined that naloxone is available as a nasal spray and “rapidly reverses opioid overdose,” and staff cited recent local emergency-response data showing hundreds of overdose responses in the previous year. Task-force presenters noted more than 1,500 naloxone boxes had already been placed at private and nonprofit locations in the county; the pilot would place boxes on county property so the county can evaluate public deployment on parks and other high-call locations.

Commissioners pressed staff on operational details: how to prevent mass removal or vandalism, who will restock and how quickly, how sites will be prioritized, and whether the pilot should start smaller than 10 sites. Staff recommended starting with a limited number of parks (five was discussed) and using call-volume data to select sites; Walton County Fire Rescue and task-force partners will monitor and restock as needed. The board asked for a six-month status report and for staff to return with any recommended policy changes after the pilot.

A motion to authorize the pilot and direct staff to work with the Overdose Prevention Task Force carried unanimously on a recorded voice vote. The action does not obligate a new recurring appropriation; it directs implementation and monitoring under current departmental authorities.