UCSB senior Ryan Schmidbauer and his friends are picking up supplies from the Isla Vista health and wellness vending machine ahead of Deltopia weekend.
"Today we are picking up some Narcan and fentanyl test strips. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it," Schmidbauer said.
Schmidbauer will be one of thousands of students attending this year’s infamous Deltopia street party, which, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s office, saw around 30,000 partygoers last year.
UCSB senior Carys Goldsmith has been to Deltopia three times and says safety is a top priority for her sorority.
"It's just so much better when you remember it. You know what I'm saying? and even if you yourself don't, like, do drugs and aren't planning on it, honestly, it's so important to have Narcan because you never know who's going to need it and you could, like, save someone's life," Goldsmith said.
Last year, officials with Emergency Medical Services say they responded to 106 emergency medical calls, and had 35 hospitalizations. So this year, the Isla Vista Community Center is creating aRecovery Center & Wellness Checkpoint.
Isla Vista Community Services District Manager Johnathan Abboud says anyone who is feeling unwell can come to the checkpoint for water, snacks or a place to lie down.
"The point of the recovery center is to provide a place where people can rest and chill if they want to recover. It's not for medical care, so if somebody does show up here needing medical assistance, we will need to call 911," Abboud says.
The county sheriff’s office and fire department want to remind students of the Good Samaritan Law, which allows a person to report a drug or alcohol overdose without fear of liability, even if the reporting person is under the influence at the time of the call for help.
"Don't add or subtract from the population and no hospitals or jail cells. Just have fun, stay safe," Schmidbauer said.
