Malakai Powers installs a Narcan kit into its wall mount at the Hearts 4 Health building in Enterprise. Malakai belongs to the Interact Club of Enterprise High School.

ENTERPRISE — One day, unexpectedly, someone’s life will by saved by 13-year-old Malakai Powers.

Malakai, a freshman at Enterprise High School, is working to install naloxone opioid-reversal kits in more than 120 locations throughout Wallowa County. Already, the first few kits are available at sites that already have automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

Naloxone, better known by the brand name Narcan, is a nasal spray that blocks the effects of an opioid overdose for several hours and restores breathing until medical treatment can be obtained.

Opioids include heroin, morphine, fentanyl and oxycodone.

“There is a real risk of accidental overdose and it’s not necessarily related to illicit drug use,” said Dr. Elizabeth Powers, Malakai’s mother and chief medical officer at Winding Waters Medical Clinic. “Somebody has hip surgery, is prescribed 10 pills for pain and they get picked up by a grandchild. There are instances where having life-saving equipment really saves lives.”

The project also will involve community information sessions and trainings about Narcan, using an AED, first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Malakai will be looking for volunteers to lead the activities.

Narcan kits containing two doses retail for $44 each. They are being purchased with a grant from the Eastern Oregon Coordinated Care Organization that also will cover expenses for the community education activities.

Malakai said he intends this to be a pilot venture that can be repeated in other areas. It’s his project in the Interact Club at Enterprise High School. The club, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wallowa County, is for teens interested in community and international service projects.

When Malakai graduates, he plans to turn project leadership over to another Interact member. The Narcan kits will need to be replaced periodically.

Malakai’s father, Nic Powers, a Rotary member, is the Interact Club’s Rotary adviser. Malakai has recruited a working partner, retired nurse Nancy Corwin who is a Rotary member and also active in Project Heartbeat, the nonprofit that installed the AEDs throughout the county.

“Malakai is mature for his age, curious, inquisitive and willing to learn,” Corwin said. “I’m enjoying getting to know him.”

As each Narcan kit is installed, the AED installation is being renamed as a “Lifesaving Station.”

Eventually, each may contain other medical devices and supplies usable by average citizens.

Stickers marking each Lifesaving Station are being printed by the Interact Club of Joseph Charter School.

“I’m excited about helping people not die,” Malakai said. “It’s really neat to be able to build on the infrastructure that Project Heartbeat has put in place. I hadn’t realized that there are AEDs all over the place.”

Where are the AEDs and Narcan? A frequently updated online map of their locations is at http://tinyurl.com/yzdxjcnh.

Also, Wallowa County’s 911 dispatchers have access to the map and are trained to lead a caller through the live-saving process.