MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - A new bill that requires life support vehicles to carry anti-drug overdose medicine and trained personnel to administer it could mean higher costs for local governments.

Although most of the Meridian Township's emergency vehicles are already equipped with the drug Narcan to reverse the effect of narcotics, the Fire Department personnel will undergo some additional training to possibly help save more lives.

"The narcotics are obviously out there and people are doing different drugs in different formats, so this will give us another tool to counteract that", said Bill Priese, Meridian Township EMS/Training Chief.

Local governments would be responsible for covering the costs of equipping each emergency response vehicle with "opioid antagonists", which treat drug overdoses.

Even residents have access to administering Narcan and are given immunity from criminal prosecution if acting in good faith under the good samaritan law.