Her new skills came to the rescue one bitterly cold day as she was out shopping. As Camilla left a large retail store, she noticed a vehicle pull up at the nearby crosswalk. A distressed man climbed out of the vehicle and started yelling for help. Camilla responded and discovered that she had received training in the very skills that could save his passenger’s life.
In a life-threatening emergency, every second counts. Having a person nearby with the skills to respond to the situation before paramedics arrive can be the difference between life and death. This was the case for Camilla, who used skills learned at a PPLD-led training to save someone’s life last December.
Camilla, a longtime cardholder with PPLD, took a Narcan training at the Library in 2024, motivated by her desire to help her community in any way necessary. Narcan is used to stabilize the medical condition of someone experiencing an opioid overdose until medical help arrives. Because it has no known negative effects, it can safely be administered even if it is uncertain whether a person in distress is experiencing an overdose.
The Library District offers Narcan training for its staff and those classes are also open to the public at no cost. In 2024, the District ran 18 Narcan classes, training a total of 60 people in its use, 24 of whom were patrons like Camilla. In 2025, an additional 60 people have taken the training as of October 7, with more registered for upcoming sessions.
“I took the class because I am part of our community,” Camilla said. “I try to be a resource. I took it so I could use it if I needed.”
Her training came to the rescue at the crosswalk that day – the driver’s passenger was overdosing. Although Camilla was in the habit of carrying Narcan following the training, she didn’t have it with her at the time. Thinking quickly on her feet, she ran into the store and asked staff if anyone had Narcan in their emergency kits.
Employees at the storer used their radio to call a manager, who confirmed that there was Narcan in their emergency kit. The manager brought the Narcan out but had not yet been trained in how to use it. Camilla informed the manager that she was trained, and they hurried outside while the manager phoned for medical help.
"I had never been in a situation like that,” Camilla later told Library staff. “From the training, I felt confident enough to react.”
In the vehicle, the passenger was unconscious and appeared to be experiencing a lack of oxygen. The passenger door was locked, so Camilla climbed through the driver’s side door and administered the first dose. When there was no apparent change in the victim's state, Camilla administered a second dose. There was a noticeable change this time and the victim stabilized.
An ambulance arrived shortly after that and took the victim to the hospital for further treatment. The experience left Camilla feeling amazed that having just one trained person on hand changed the outcome and saved a life.
Following this incident, Camilla contacted the Health Department to coordinate a training program for staff at her workplace.
“I’m a big believer in Libraries,” Camilla reflected. “They are an underutilized resource and can mean a world of difference for someone walking through the doors. The Library has so much available for everyone.”
Reflecting on the incident, Camilla expressed gratitude for the training, "PPLD was there for me.” She feels thankful for the training she received, saying that it made a huge difference that day.