Get naloxone, test strips, and training
Get naloxone (Narcan) from Philadelphia fire stations
Naloxone in Black campaign
Beginning on August 28th, 2025, you can get naloxone (Narcan), the overdose reversal drug, from a Philadelphia fire station near you. With financial support from Vital Strategies, the Philadelphia Fire Department and Overdose Response Unit in the Office of Public Safety have partnered together for Naloxone in Black – Naloxone in Black is the City of Philadelphia’s targeted initiative under Vital Strategies’ You Have the Power to Save Lives campaign. This initiative will address the disproportionate impact of the overdose crisis on Black Philadelphians by increasing access to low-barrier naloxone through the installation of newspaper-style boxes stocked with free naloxone outside 61 fire stations across the city. This campaign aims to reduce preventable overdose deaths and promote equitable access to this life-saving medication.
Resources for individuals
Get naloxone (Narcan), the overdose reversal drug, and Fentanyl test strips mailed directly to your home in discreet packaging. Next Distro, a national harm reduction organization, offers these supplies to individuals for free.
Philadelphia residents can also request naloxone, fentanyl test strips, xylazine test strips and medetomidine test strips directly from SUPHR.
SUPHR’s Community Engagement team goes into neighborhoods across Philly to give out harm reduction supplies and connect community members with services. Their regular tabling events can be found on our Events page.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has locations across the city where residents can pick up naloxone, test strips and other harm reduction resources for free. Resource hubs also offer other health supplies and testing.
SUPHR offers monthly virtual training sessions, during which participants learn to recognize the signs of an overdose and reverse it using naloxone. After the training, participants can be mailed naloxone and test strips. Sign up for the next training at the link here or email elvis.rosado@phila.gov.
Learn how to identify and reverse overdoses, and how to test substances with test strips. English and Spanish-language videos are included.
Resources for organizations
SUPHR partners with community-based organizations across Philadelphia to provide them with naloxone and fentanyl and medetomidine test strips to distribute or keep on hand.
Organizations can request free in-person or virtual trainings on overdose prevention and harm reduction, fentanyl and medetomidine test strips, and more. These sessions are offered in both English and Spanish.
SUPHR is providing up to 100 wound care kits at a time to local organizations who serve people who use drugs/people with substance use-associated wounds.
Get supplies from a community organization
We partner with several local organizations to ensure that naloxone and test strips are available city-wide. Below are a few of our partners who can provide regular access to resources.
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Nicetown-Tioga Library
Supplies Available:
FTS and naloxone
Hours:
Monday to Friday: 12-5pm
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Operation In My Backyard
Supplies available:
FTS, XTS, and naloxone, food, clothes
Where you can find them:
Tuesday: Ruth St. & Somerset St., 6:30pm-8:00pm
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Prevention Point Philadelphia
Supplies available:
FTS, XTS, and naloxone, overdose wound care supplies, medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and case management.
Where you can find them:
2913-15 Kensington Ave, Monday - Thursday, 9am-4pm and on Friday, 12-4pm.
Wednesday: 1249 Point Breeze Ave in between Oakford and Titan Sts, 12:00pm – 4:30pm
For more info see: ppponline.org/services/prevention-services/overdose-prevention-services
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Savage Sisters
Supplies Available:
FTS and naloxone, food, clothes
Where you can find them:
Tuesday: McPherson Square Park, 5:30pm-6:30pm
Every 3rd Saturday: McPherson Square Park, 10:30am - 1pm
For more information visit savagesisters.org, or message them @savagesistersrecovery on Instagram.
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South Philly Punks with Lunch
Supplies Available:
FTS and naloxone, food, clothes
Where you can find them:
Wednesday and Saturday: Broad St. and Snyder Ave, 1:30pm - 3:30 pm
Contact: Message South Philly Punks with Lunch on Facebook or @south.philly.punkswithlunch on Instagram.
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The Everywhere Project
Supplies available:
FTS, XTS, and naloxone, food, clothing
Where you can find them:
Wednesday: Love Park, 7:00pm-9:00pm
Saturday: Love Lot, 12:30pm-4:30pm
Contact: Visit their website, or message them @the_everywhere_project on Instagram.
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Unity Recovery
Supplies Available:
FTS and naloxone
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Other Community Partners
SOL Collective, Caribbean Community Group, Drexel PCCD, New Day, and Courage Medicine.
Training resources
1. Check for breathing
Look for the rise and fall of their chest or shoulders.
Listen for gargling or choking.
Hold an object like a phone screen, glasses, or a small mirror near their mouth and see if it fogs up.
Confirm they take at least 1 breath every 5 seconds.
If they are breathing, they are not overdosing. You do not need to administer naloxone. If you are not sure, proceed to step 2.
Recognize and reverse an overdose
2. Wake them up
Shake them and call their name.
Apply mild pressure by pressing the base of their nail bed on their middle or ring finger.
3. Give naloxone
Check the time or set a timer to give another dose in 3 - 5 minutes in case they don’t start breathing again
5. Do rescue breathing
Clear the inside of their mouth, tilt their head back, and pinch their nose. • Give them 1 breath every 5 seconds until they start
4. Call 9-1-1
Under the Good Samaritan Law (Act 139), you cannot get in trouble for being present, witnessing, or reporting an overdose.
How to use a test strip
Test strip directions
Mix 1 cc (1/5 tsp) of clean water with a microscoop (10mg) of the drug or residue in the empty cooker or bag the drug was packaged in.
Dip the wavy-line end of the test strip in water for 15 seconds (don’t pass the solid color line).
Remove the test strip and lay it on a flat surface.
Fentanyl and medetomidine test strips will show results in about 1 minute.
Xylazine test strips will show results within 5 minutes.
Testing pills
Crush the pill into powder or cut the pill in half and scrape from the middle. Use about 10mg for the test.
Follow test strip directions
Testing crystals
Crush any crystals or rocks and gently shake the bag. Separate 10mg for the test in a bottle cap.
Follow test strip directions.
How to read test strip results
Two lines = negative
(does not contain substance)
If the second line (closest to the white end) is faint, it is negative for the substance.
One line = positive
(contains substance)
If the second line (closest to the white end) is not present, it is positive for the substance.
No control line = invalid
(additional test necessary)
If the first line (closest to the colored end) is not present, the test is invalid, and will need to be repeated with a new test strip.
No lines = invalid
(additional test necessary)
If neither line shows up, the test is invalid and will need to be repeated with a new test strip.
Test strip tutorial videos
SUPHR has PDF guides for fentanyl, medetomidine and xylazine test strips. Find the Spanish-language versions in our Materials Library.