Okotoks firefighters train to use Naloxone against Fentanyl overdoses

Okotoks firefighters will receive training this month on how to inject Naloxone, an antidote for people suffering an opioid overdose.

Associate Minister of Health Brandy Payne announced Feb. 7 the Province issued a ministerial order to allow first responders who are not paramedics to inject Naloxone, an antidote for drugs like Fentanyl.

The announcement is in response to the growing number of fatal Fentanyl overdoses in Alberta.

Last year, 343 people died of Fentanyl-related deaths in Alberta, more than double the number in 2014.

Fire departments and RCMP detachments will be able to choose if they would like to be trained and equipped with the Naloxone injection kits.

The Okotoks Fire Department has 20 Naloxone injection kits.

“We will start training our staff within a month,” said Ken Thevenot, Okotoks fire chief.

The fire department responded in conjunction with EMS to 328 medical calls last year and 74 times firefighters were first on the scene.

Thevenot said local firefighters have never been first to arrive at a Fentanyl overdose call, but said they have been on scene when paramedics administered Naloxone to a patient.

“There is potential that we would be using this new intra-muscular antidote (Naloxone injection), as long as all the determinates are there,” he said.

Thevenot said he read Calgary firefighters have used Naloxone 45 times in the six weeks they have had it available to them.

Thevenot has seen the use of Fentanyl grow over the years and said it is now in the forefront of dangerous drugs.

“Its something else we have to deal with and it is unfortunate, but if it can help out and individual, that is what we need to do,” he said.

Health press secretary Laura Ehrkamp said 9,572 Naloxone kits have been dispensed to Albertans by the end of 2016.

RCMP officers have been equipped with Naloxone in a nasal spray form since October.

RCMP spokesperson Curtis Peters are not going to use the injectable Naloxone kits because the nasal spray is easier for officers to use and carry.

“It is for ease of use and it shown to be just as effective,” he said.

RCMP can find themselves responding to a call on the side of the road, late at night, said Peters, a situation when using the nasal spray would be easier and safer.

Nationally, RCMP have administered Naloxone 79 times. In Alberta, RCMP have used the Naloxone nasal spray on overdose victims three times since October.

To date, Okotoks and Turner Valley RCMP have not had to use the Naloxone nasal spray.

Okotoks RCMP Cpl. Korey Crerar said most often, when it comes to medical calls like a drug overdose, paramedics are first to the scene.

“In the case of a medical distress call, the first call is always to EMS,” he said. “Usually, we do not get there first.”

Turner Valley RCMP Sgt. Paulina Larray-King said officers have been attending calls involving Fentanyl-related overdoses, but said they have never been first on the scene in those situations.

The number of Fentanyl-related calls has remained steady in the Turner Valley detachment area, despite the growing number of deaths across Alberta, she said.

Larray-King said first responders need to be prepared to deal with Fentanyl overdoses.

“It really is a crisis, if you look at the numbers,” she said.

Officers are also in danger when they come in contact with the potent drug, said Larray-King.

Now police have to be even more careful when they come across drugs in an investigation and how they handle them.

“Our procedures have changed,” said Larray-King , adding if an officer comes across drugs or an unknown substance, the handling is much more cautious and it is double-bagged.