State Expanding Access To Naloxone, Fentanyl Test Strips
The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse plans to install more life-saving vending machines throughout the state in 2024.
The machines disperse Naloxone and fentanyl test strips to prevent fatal overdoses.
Naloxone is a nasal spray that can counteract the effects of an opioid overdose, and fentanyl testing strips can be used to determine if that dangerous drug is present in other substances.
The CDC says in nearly 40% of overdose deaths, someone else was present. With naloxone, bystanders can help prevent fatal overdoses and save lives.
We reported earlier this year on the installation of a vending machine containing both at Cameron University in Lawton.
Since then, the agency has installed 22 vending machines across he state, and plans to add more in the coming year.
Bonnie Campo with the State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse told KFOR TV these vending machines generally have to be restocked each day or every other day.
The Naloxone and fentanyl testing strips in the machines are free.
Oklahoma City Urban Heat Island Results
The Climate Adaptation Planning and Analytics Heat Watch released Oklahoma City’s urban heat mapping results. The results will be used to make recommendations on how the city can combat extreme heat.
It was a rainy day when OKC did its heat mapping campaign in August, but the results still showed there was nearly a 15-degree temperature difference between the hottest points in the city and the coolest ones.
Sarah Terry-Cobo is the associate planner for Oklahoma City’s Office of Sustainability, and led this year’s campaign.
She says she was surprised to see neighborhoods with old growth trees hotter than other neighborhoods with fewer trees.
“A more affluent area like Mesta Park has a lot of older tree canopy that's intact. And that, you know, is still pretty hot compared to some of these other neighborhoods that we were expecting to be very hot," Terry-Cobo said.
She says this is a sign that heat from the previous day is staying trapped in roofs, roads, and sidewalks throughout the neighborhood.
The city is developing an intervention guide book for 2024 that will help it determine best places to plant trees and develop cooling shelters.
Shawnee’s 1930s-Built Dam Needs Extensive Repairs
Shawnee Twin Lakes is facing the need for extensive repairs on its large dam, after receiving a "poor" rating from the Oklahoma Water Resource Board.
The 1930s-built dam is classified as a 'high-hazard-potential dam' due to downstream development.
The poor rating prompted the city of Shawnee to conduct an investigation to assess the extent of necessary repairs.
The city says it's is expected to get the results from the investigation in February.
Shawnee city leaders have secured a $1 million dollar grant from the American Rescue Plan Act, though the total cost for repairs on the dam is still unknown.
Drought Conditions Improve In 2023
The final drought map of 2023 has been released, and the data shows the state is wrapping up the year on a positive note.
The Sooner state has seen significant improvement in drought conditions as the year comes to a close.
The latest report shows no extreme or exceptional drought to be found across the state.
Severe drought has decreased to just 3%.
For comparison, this time last year, nearly 80% of the state was in the severe drought category. Additionally, abnormally dry conditions, the lowest drought level, have diminished significantly, now affecting less than half of the state.
This shift in drought conditions marks a positive end to the year for Oklahoma.
Experts say the wetter weather pattern that El Nino typically brings could help alleviate yearslong drought conditions and provide moisture deeper in the soil.
Note: the next episode of the KGOU PM NewsBrief will be Wednesday, Jan. 3. From all of us at KGOU, have a safe and happy New Year.
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