Alberta sets record for opioid overdose deaths as province unveils app for prevention
This is heartbreaking. As part of the first responder team that attends medical calls, opioid overdoses are among the hardest calls we get. The opioid epidemic is devastating on so many levels… and no segment of society has been spared from the pain it brings.
Firefighters arrive first on scene for critical medical emergencies, including opioid overdoses, 60% of the time. Our primary focus is to get the patient breathing again. First, we put in an airway device, then we use tools to breathe for the patient, and finally we administer Narcan. If the patient’s heart stops we start chest compressions.
This is traumatic work. It happens far too often. We see it on a weekly basis. We need all levels of government to work together to come up with solutions to this issue.
Click here for the Globe and Mail Article.