Saskatoon paramedics with Medavie Health Services West (MHS West) are sounding the alarm over nine overdoses in three days.
Troy Davies, director of public affairs for Medavie, said he was alerted by paramedics on Monday that they’re seeing a lot of critical overdose calls.
“It’s alarming. Those numbers are extremely high for us in the short period of time.”
Davies said they won’t know exactly what these patients have taken until a full tox screen is done.
“All we can report on is, basically, the severity and that Narcan is working on these patients because they were a true narcotic overdose,” he said.
Davies said these nine patients, aged 19 to 55 years old, were extremely lucky and asked them to avoid a next time, as the outcome may not be positive.
“You never know what you’re going to get. It’s all mixed differently, especially when you’re dealing with street drugs. You never know exactly where you’re taking… and the severity could cost you your life,” he said.
“That’s kind of like the Russian roulette of using drugs.”
MHS West’s weekly report for April 20 to 27 showed a total of 53 overdose calls.
“And to throw this in there is just another added stressor on really something that shouldn’t even be happening.”
Medavie also responds to Warman, Martensville, Osler and other smaller communities around Saskatoon.
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