Overdose Calls

• ‘Fatigue and stress’: Interior paramedics responded to over 5k overdose, poisoning calls in 2022

  In the Interior, overdose and poisoning calls were up nine percent in 2022 to more than 5,900. Calls also rose in Kelowna to more than 1,800 last year.

  Canada

  Jan 26, 2023
  
• 3 separate drug overdose calls within an hour in Mississauga prompt public safety advisory

  Two were administered Naloxone before the arrival of first responders, with one requiring six doses before reviving.

  Canada

  Mar 22, 2022
  
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• Ambulance crews scramble to cover spike in overdose calls in B.C. Interior

  B.C. Emergency Health Services says crews responded to 37 overdose calls on Wednesday, up from 23 on Tuesday and 12 on Monday.

  Canada

  Feb 17, 2022
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• B.C. paramedics respond to highest-ever number of overdose calls in a single day

  Crews were tasked to 138 potential overdoses, 45 of them in Vancouver, 17 of them in Surrey, 10 in Victoria and 66 across the rest of the province. 

  Health

  Apr 22, 2021
• Number of overdose calls in Okanagan rose sharply in 2020

  Overall in B.C., the final tally for 911 calls from someone suffering a potential overdose was 27,067, which is up 12 per cent over 2019.

  Health

  Jan 21, 2021
• Saskatoon police officers use Narcan 3 times during overnight overdose calls

  “These three calls highlight the difficult work our members do in a community that is, like many others, dealing with addictions and mental health issues."

  Canada

  Jul 7, 2020
• B.C. paramedics called to highest number of overdoses in a single day since April 2017

  Paramedics responded to 130 calls across the province on Friday, two days after social assistance cheques were handed out.

  Jul 28, 2018
• Kelowna police, paramedics, firefighters converge for ‘cardiac arrest’ call behind shelter

  Paramedics performed CPR for at least ten minutes before the unresponsive man was loaded into an ambulance and taken away.

  Apr 24, 2018
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• Police should stop attending overdose calls, says Vancouver legal advocacy group

  "People should not have fear when they're calling 911 for assistance, and police should not be showing up at the scenes of overdoses and engaging in investigation."

  Dec 11, 2017
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• Vancouver Fire Rescue responded to more than 6,000 overdose calls this year

  Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services has responded to more than 6,000 overdose calls so far this year, that’s up by 28 per cent compared to all of 2016.

  Health

  Dec 7, 2017