Pubdate: Thu, 04 Aug 2016
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Page: 8
Copyright: 2016 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Jennifer Saltman

FIREFIGHTERS CREDIT NALOXONE FOR BEING DIFFERENCE-MAKER IN SAVING 
OPIOID USERS' LIVES

Four times over the B.C. Day long weekend, firefighters in Vancouver 
administered a life-saving drug to someone suffering from an opioid overdose.

It's something that couldn't have taken place one year ago.

"It's such a life-changing intervention," said Vancouver Fire and 
Rescue Services spokesman Capt. Jonathan Gormick. "It's literally a 
life-saving tool and it's made a huge difference."

Gormick is talking about naloxone, an injectable medication that, if 
administered quickly, can reverse the effects of an overdose of an 
opioid drug such as heroin or fentanyl.

In late January, the provincial government announced that B.C. 
firefighters would be able to administer naloxone.

The province said the number of B.C. Emergency Health Services 
paramedics who could administer the drug would also be increased.

Vancouver and Surrey were the first two fire departments to train 
their members. Since the announcement, Vancouver has trained 93 per 
cent of its about 800 uniformed staff. Surrey has trained all of its 
350 firefighters.

According to B.C. Emergency Health Services, which conducts the 
training, about 2,030 first-responders in 46 fire departments across 
B.C. have been trained to date on how to administer the drug and care 
for suspected overdose patients until paramedics arrive.

Other departments that have started using naloxone include Victoria, 
Nanaimo, Kamloops, Prince Rupert, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, 
Saanich, West Kelowna and Richmond.

Surrey Fire Service Chief Len Garis said firefighters have attended 
1,535 overdose calls in the city since Jan. 1.

That's an average of six to eight overdoses each day, compared with 
an average of 4.4 overdoses per day last year.

In the six months that it has been available, Garis said, Surrey 
firefighters have used naloxone 39 times.

"In this particular case, what we've done is we've armed them with 
the skills and the tools to provide those interventions when 
necessary," he said.

Garis said 28 per cent of the overdose calls were in the City 
Centre/Whalley area, but the rest have taken place all over the city.

In Vancouver, firefighters have used naloxone 45 times in the past six months.

Fire Hall No. 2, which is in the Downtown Eastside, represents more 
than half of the incidents, followed by Fire Hall No. 8 in Yaletown 
with 20 per cent and Fire Hall No. 7 (Haro/Thurlow) with 10 per cent.

Firefighters from two other halls have also used naloxone.

Gormick said previously that firefighters felt helpless when 
responding to drug overdoses, particularly since the number of 
overdoses have increased.

He said it took too long for firefighters to get access to the 
life-saving drug.

"The overwhelming consensus is that it's welcome, it's something 
we've been waiting for, and it's shocking that it hasn't come to us 
more quickly," he said.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom