The growing threat of fentanyl has a group of volunteers in Moncton ramping up their efforts to remove discarded drug paraphernalia and needles from their city.
“My biggest fear is waking up and hearing that a child has passed away from fentanyl,” said Richard Hyslop who started the group called Needle Dogs Moncton seven years ago.
“If a kid gets a needle stick that’s a death sentence right there.”
After the province’s RCMP confirmed that drugs containing fentanyl have been seized in the province, the group of nearly 20 volunteers have doubled their efforts.
READ MORE: More than one person dies every day from drug overdose: Vancouver Police
Hyslop, his pack of dogs and other volunteers wake up every morning and scour the city searching for used drug pipes, needles and baggies. They mostly target school yards, parks, playgrounds on their hunt for the deadly drug.
Hyslop was a volunteer medical first responder with Saint John ambulance for more than 20 years ago. He is no longer a first responder and now suffers from PTSD but says he’s seen too many drug related deaths.
“Somewhere in my head I am still doing an ambulance call,” he said.
Volunteers are often assigned a section of the city’s green spaces where they pick up any and all materials related to drugs.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia prepares to battle rising threat of fentanyl
Hyslop says his volunteers find discarded drug materials and about 15 needles every day.
A volunteer who goes by the name Wizard says he doesn’t mind putting his own safety at risk.
“It’s for the safety of the children and animals and the public,” he said.
Hyslop and his team of volunteers says they try not to put themselves or their dogs at risk. The dogs have not been formally trained to sniff out drugs.
Searches are lead by humans and volunteers use extenders to pick up the needles and put then into hazardous material bins. They always wear gloves when handling needle packaging and drug bags.
Hyslop says he goes back to his life saving roots as a first responder on every search. But now, he has his dogs by his side.
“This is my family. We save lives,” he said.
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