‘I still want to get out there and teach’: Kankakee County Coroner touts the importance of overdose prevention

Kankakee County Coroner Bob Gessner isn’t required to educate the public about Narcan and drug prevention.But during his tenure, he’s made it a priority through visiting schools, churches and local businesses and clubs to speak about its importance for saving lives.“My job is to protect the citizens of Kankakee County,” Gessner said. “And that’s what I’m doing.”This sentiment was shared Thursday at the Kankakee County Board’s Criminal Justice Committee where Gessner gave a demonstration on the usage of Narcan and how it can prevent drug overdoses.

The Details

During the presentation, he also talked about the importance of calling emergency services in the case of a serious overdose. Narcan, or naloxone, is an opioid overdose reversal medication administered through either nasal spray or an injector. Overdoses block the brain’s opioid receptors, causing breathing to slow and ultimately stop. Narcan is used to kick out these opioids and return breathing to normal. Gessner said Kankakee County State’s