Sites in Carbon, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties will be offering free naloxone kits and training Thursday as part of the first Appalachian Save a Life Day, a 13-state day-of-action aimed at raising awareness and saving lives amid the opioid epidemic.

Naloxone is a medication that works to reverse opioid overdoses, and a common brand of the reversal drug is Narcan, which comes as nasal spray.

Kits and training, along with recovery resources, will be available from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday at Lansford Borough Hall, 1 W. Ridge St.; Hope & Coffee, 137 Pine St., Tamaqua, from 9 to 11 a.m.; and New Roots, 100 S. Wyoming St., Hazleton, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Save a Life Day began as a two-county pilot program in West Virginia three years ago, which has expanded each year. The effort is now in more than 150 counties in 13 states.

The West Virginia-based SOAR, an overdose prevention group, is spearheading the multi-state effort. In Pennsylvania, Synchronicity Recovery Foundation is the lead group.

“I am grateful to have the opportunity to coordinate Save a Live Day in our area,’ said Heather Barna-Dowling, a certified recovery advocate and Sync Recovery volunteer.

“It’s so important to be prepared. We know firsthand naloxone, awareness, access to recovery resources and ending the stigma surrounding substance use disorder can save lives,” she said.

The effort aims to distribute more than 30,000 doses of naloxone on Thursday throughout the Appalachian Region. Training to use the reversal drug takes five to 10 minutes, and everyone is welcome attend.

“The most successful free naloxone day event is often setting up a table in front of well-trafficked corner, maybe with a bus stop nearby,” Joe Solomon, SOAR WV co-director, said in a release about the events.

Barna-Dowling is the owner of River Lotus Healing, a wellness center in Jim Thorpe which offers a multimodal approach to help people get and stay clean of drugs.

Recovery and other resources will be available at all three sites to help people on the road to recovery, as well as friends and family members seeking assistance and support.