SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – June 6 is now known as “Revive Awareness Day” in Florida. It aims to bring awareness to the opioid crisis and the availability of drugs, like naloxone, that can reverse the effects of an overdose.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed what’s commonly referred to as “Victoria’s Law” in April to designate the day. It honors Victoria Siegel, who died of an accidental overdose at age 18.
This week, her family was honored in Orange County.
“She’d be very proud of the work our parents have done and the work we’ve done, spreading the awareness, because every single life matters,” David Siegel Jr. said.
Victoria’s parents, Jackie and David Siegel, established “Victoria’s Voice” after losing their daughter in 2015 in the hopes that their own tragedy would prevent others from happening.
Attorney General Ashley Moody, State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, and other officials in Seminole County gathered on Thursday for Florida’s first Revive Awareness Day.
“This was a long time coming,” Moody said.
“Victoria’s Law, Victoria’s Day, could be 100,000 other names. In Seminole County alone, it could be 100 names just last year, 150 the year before,” said Brian Beyer, chief of staff at the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
Every deputy in Seminole County carries Narcan on calls because they say it has saved so many lives.
“We are raising awareness and encouraging people to carry this lifesaving drug,” Beyer said. “I’m literally carrying it in my pocket right now.”
Research from Project Opioid revealed the number of overdose deaths declined 2% in Florida in 2022, for the first time since 2018. Seminole and Orange counties saw a decrease of 11%. In Brevard County, the number of deaths dropped over 49%.
Despite the decline, the crisis is ongoing - 8,042 Floridians lost their lives to drug overdoses that year, an average of 22 deaths per day.
Dr. Todd Husty, DO medical director in Seminole County, says drugs like Narcan are simple to use.
“Anybody can do it,” Husty said. “And you don’t have to guess if it’s from opioids or not. If they’re having a stroke, it won’t hurt them. You know, if they’ve passed out from low blood pressure it won’t hurt them.”
Because it has been so successful, officials in Seminole County say they can get more results by getting the life-saving drug into more hands.
“That’s you. That’s your friends. That’s your neighbors. That’s your colleagues,” Beyer said. “If you’re able to hold this and use this, you can save a life.”
Naloxone is readily available, and often free of charge. You can find out exactly where to get where you live on isavefl.com.