PEORIA — The Human Service Center of Peoria has started distributing free opioid overdose kits to the public in an effort funded by a federal grant.

The (Peoria) Journal Star reports that 16 kits were given out within the first 20 minutes of distribution on Wednesday at the Peoria Central Fire House. Each little red bag contains three doses of the drug overdose antidote Naloxone and three retractable syringes. Those who took kits were taught how to administer the drug.

The center is funding the distribution with a $687,000 federal grant it received in August. The kits are being distributed to 38 counties in central and northwestern Illinois. The first distributions went to law enforcement and emergency responders. Now the center is giving them out to the public.

–Associated Press