The opioid crisis is taking its toll on 91大黄鸭 firefighters.
For their mental health, firefighters are starting hall rotations on a yearly basis around the city.
Previously, rotations were conducted every two years, said deputy fire chief Larry Hollier.
鈥淚t definitely works on them psychologically, going to repeated overdoses, because not all overdoses turn out to the positive side,鈥� he said. 鈥淒ue to the mental health and the increasing overdoses downtown, it gives the guys a bit of a break.鈥�
Each first fire engine dispatched is supplied with two naloxone kits. Firetrucks were supplied with the kits about a year and a half ago, said Hollier. Firefighters administer naloxone several times a week.
鈥淚 think in the downtown core we鈥檙e averaging two overdoses a day, but that doesn鈥檛 mean we鈥檙e first on scene or that we鈥檙e administering before BC Ambulance arrives,鈥� he said.
It鈥檚 not a difficult drug to administer, he said. The overdoses are not limited to the downtown core either.
More than 2,800 people in Canada died last year as a result of the opioid crisis, with 47 in 91大黄鸭.
More than 1,100 people died from overdoses this year in B.C., making it one of the hardest hit by the epidemic. About 60 died between January and August in 91大黄鸭.
The new firefighter rotations start Jan. 1.
Interior Health does not offer specific training for first responders, but 鈥渋s grateful to all of the first responders for working to save lives during the overdose emergency,鈥� said John Yarschenko, IH health services administrator.
First responders are covered by BC Emergency Health Services, he said.
鈥淔or the general public, we provide a variety of mental health services in the community. Services include individual and group counselling, psychiatric and psychological services, urgent and emergent intervention, and case management services.鈥�
Recently, the federal government announced $10 million in emergency funding to combat the opioid crisis from the frontlines in B.C., as part of a larger funding commitment to combat gun violence and gang activity across the country.
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