Regina fire trucks to carry fentanyl antidote; chief says it will save lives

Firefighters in Saskatchewan’s capital city will now carry an antidote to help reduce fentanyl and opioid overdoses.

Regina fire chief Ernie Polsom said naloxone will be added to their 12 fire trucks, and all Regina firefighters are trained to administer the drug.

Polsom said fentanyl and other opioids are having a devastating impact across Canada and this step helps Regina combat the public health crisis.

“It’s extremely important from two perspectives. One is obviously the treatment of patients out in the field that may have been exposed to opioids and health impacts of it,” Polsom said.

“Equally important is the unlikely but fairly certainly possible exposure of one of our staff to fentanyl or carfentanil.”

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Saskatoon firefighters rolled out their naloxone kits last month. Polsom said there was a process to receive the kits.

“We had consultations with our EMS providers, a program to develop and training to deliver so we’re very happy to get the product on the trucks,” Polsom said.

He also said it will ensure firefighters are protected in case they come into contact with an opioid while helping someone.

Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin, oxycodone or morphine, and even the smallest exposure from residue on a patient could kill a paramedic or another emergency worker.

READ MORE: Saskatoon fire trucks now equipped with fentanyl antidote, naloxone

Polsom said all 270 firefighters will be trained up by the end of the week.

“It will save lives,” Polsom said.

Regina Police on naloxone

In Regina, fentanyl has been linked to two suspected overdoses resulting in death last year.

There have been no suspected or confirmed cases of fentanyl-related deaths so far in 2017, according to Regina police.

Regina police officers do not have training to administer naloxone, but according to Regina Police Service Public Information Officer Elizabeth Popowich, a training program is expected within the next few months.

“We are in the process of finalizing our policy around the use of naloxone and we’re also delivering some training to our officers and that’s part of their annual block training.

“We’re on the verge of a roll out of a naloxone program for the Regina police service.”

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Popowich said the presence of fentanyl in Saskatchewan is highly concerning.

With files from Canadian Press.