Pubdate: Wed, 07 Dec 2016
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2016 The Edmonton Journal
Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Dave Lazzarino

CHIEF CONSIDERS EQUIPPING FIRE CREWS WITH NALOXONE

Edmonton Fire Services Chief Ken Block is looking into the cost and
benefits of outfitting fire crews with naloxone, the treatment drug
for opioids like fentanyl and carfentanil, the latter of which has
killed 14 people in the past two months in Alberta.

"We are actively looking at that. We have a medical director on staff
who is working quite closely with Alberta Health Services just to see
how we might be better prepared," Block said in an interview as his
department's budget goes before city council.

He said the talks involve both the safety of fire crews responding to
overdoses as well as administering it to victims. Because fire crews
can be on scene within seven minutes, 76 per cent of the time, it
could potentially save lives. But the cost is just as striking.

"I've heard a price range between $150 and $250 per dose. We have 29
pump units that would need to be equipped and you'd probably want
about a half a dozen doses on each. You'd need to have a capacity as
well to draw from to replenish," he said, noting areas like the
Greater Vancouver Area sees more of the opioids and have shown more
appetite to equip fire crews with the antidote. "We're working on that
and over the next couple of weeks we'll land on something."

Two days before his multi-year budget gets tweaked by city council,
Block is well aware of the fiscal realities facing
policy-makers.

"It's never-ending. We're in almost a perfect storm where the
provincial government is hemorrhaging and we can't continue with
$10-billion deficits," Block said. "There's a lot of pressure on the
municipal governments like Edmonton. So it's a matter of establishing,
for our governments, our elected officials, hitting that sweet spot
with their constituents - how much of a tax increase is the right
amount of tax increase."

Most fire service requests have been funded in past years. Stations in
Lewis Farms in the west end and Ellerslie and Heritage Valley in the
south have opened as planned. The new Station 30 at Pilot Sound in the
city's northeast is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2017 and
funding is in place to rehabilitate Station 21 at 93 Avenue and 101
Street to improve river rescue and back up downtown services. Past
that, it gets a little more tenuous.

"As far as the tweaks to 2017, I think we're going to be fine," said
Block. "2018 is going to be a challenge. We've got a lot of funding
approval for 2018 that involves staff."

The city has already approved 45 new staff in 2018 but that could be
cut back if city council wants to find ways to keep tax increases low,
particularly as potential city annexation plans go through and fire
protection needs increase exponentially.

Block said he appreciates the support he's received from council and
hopes to be able to help them find the balance between public safety
and public spending.

Edmonton Fire Services comes before city council for budget talks on
Thursday.
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