The district said the investment, which is around $21,435.60, was made possible through the support of the county, the Nash County Board of Commissioners, the Nash County Opioid Settlement Advisory Council and the C.A.R.E. Coalition.
Naloxone is a medication used to reverse the effects of a drug overdose when administered quickly. It comes in two main forms: an injection and a nasal spray. Each school bus will have one ONEbox that contains naloxone and simple video instructions to guide people to use it in an emergency.
“Equipping all 115 Nash County Public School buses with life-saving naloxone and ONEbox overdose response kits demonstrates proactive leadership and a deep investment in protecting children and families across our county,” the district’s transportation leaders said. “This initiative is not just about preparation; it is about prevention, awareness, and ensuring that life-saving tools are accessible when seconds matter most.”
Naloxone is now widely carried by first responders and police. Distribution efforts have also helped make the medication available to community partners. Interim Nash Couty Health Director Liz Lord, who wasn’t invovled in the school bus rollout, said it’s important to make sure the kits are in place as soon as possible.
“Hopefully, they’ll never crack one open on a bus, but if they do need one, it’s there,” Lord said.
The expansion into Nash County schools marks further expansion to make naloxone available for students in recent years. In 2024, the Wake County Public School System approved a plan to train staff on administering naloxone, and student groups across the state have asked state leaders to have wellness teams ready to intervene when they see a problem.
Michael Baier, the school district’s director of transportation, said the investment helps him make sure that every child gets to and from school safely.
“We are extremely thankful for Nash County’s support in making this possible,” Baier said. “By equipping all 115 buses with Naloxone and ONEbox kits, we are strengthening our emergency preparedness and reinforcing our commitment to protecting the students entrusted to our care.”
Nash County Public Schools took time to train bus drivers around the district to make sure they know how to use the kits. In 2025, the county provided training to 132 bus drivers and monitors in the district on recognizing the warning signs of an overdose and how to properly administer Naloxone.
Ayone Cooper, a parent with three kids in the school district, said she’s split on the decision. While she sees the benefits of having naloxone on hand, she worries the overdose reversal drug could encourage risky behavior in some children.
“It’s just like you look at it as a child that has an allergy, you know, you want an EpiPen, you want to have access to that EpiPen, and you want to save that child’s life,” Cooper said. “If this were to happen on a school bus, what would we do? We want to save that child’s life.”