{"source_url": "https://www.cbc.ca", "url": "https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/windsor-essex-chatham-naloxone-2019-1.5411355?cmp=rss", "title": "", "top_image": "https://i.cbc.ca/1.5405448.1576886364!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/naloxone-kits.jpg", "meta_img": "https://i.cbc.ca/1.5405448.1576886364!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/naloxone-kits.jpg", "images": ["https://i.cbc.ca/1.5405448.1576886364!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_780/naloxone-kits.jpg", "https://i.cbc.ca/1.5100681.1555445619!/fileImage/httpImage/image.JPG_gen/derivatives/original_780/naloxone-kits-jpg.JPG", "https://i.cbc.ca/1.5213050.1563245927!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_780/wdr-constable-terry-seguin-lasalle-police.jpg", "https://i.cbc.ca/1.5405448.1576886364!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/naloxone-kits.jpg", "https://i.cbc.ca/1.4588228.1521739755!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_780/bruce-krauter-windsor-essex-ems.jpg", "https://i.cbc.ca/1.5334796.1571973480!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_780/wdr-pam-mizuno.jpg", "https://www.cbc.ca/a/static/media/logo_cbc-radio-canada.svg"], "movies": [], "text": "In 2018 there were 51 deaths related to opioid overdoses in Windsor-Essex.\n\nIn 2019, data has so far only been released up until June, and 38 people are suspected to have died in the region from opioid-related overdoses.\n\nAcross Ontario from June 2016 to March 2018, there were more than 91,000 naloxone kits distributed through pharmacies. According to a study conducted by St.Michael's Hospital of Unity Health in Toronto, half of those kits went to people with no known opioid exposure.\n\nIn Windsor-Essex, there were 824 kits distributed for every 100,000 people between July 2017 and June 2018.\n\nAcross the region, there's a mixed bag in which city professionals \u2014 police, fire and paramedics \u2014 carry or administer naloxone.\n\nEssex-Windsor EMS numbers show an increase in naloxone use\n\nIn 2019, Essex-Windsor EMS administered naloxone 193 times \u2014 a 21 per cent increase from 2018.\n\nIn context, Essex-Windsor EMS responded to 746 drug or alcohol overdose calls in 2019. That means naloxone was administered in 25 per cent of overdose calls.\n\nAccording to Bruce Krauter, chief of Essex-Windsor EMS, the numbers show an increase in naloxone usage over the last few years. (Meg Roberts/CBC)\n\nAccording to Bruce Krauter, chief of Essex-Windsor EMS, the numbers show an increase in naloxone use over the last few years:\n\n51 instances in 2014.\n\n48 instances in 2015.\n\n58 instances in 2016.\n\n126 instances in 2017.\n\n159 instances in 2018.\n\n193 instances in 2019.\n\n\"Our paramedics are highly skilled and trained and make decisions based on their experience and their situational awareness,\" said Krauter. \"The decision to use naloxone would be based on a number of factors, including the history of the patient and the environment they are in, the vital signs and inability to secure an airway.\"\n\nWhen asked if Krauter believed other first responders, such as police officers or firefighters, should carry naloxone, he did not answer directly.\n\n\"Naloxone is a valuable medical tool used by highly-skilled and trained paramedics with Essex-Windsor EMS in response to the opioid overdoses in our community,\" he said.\n\nWindsor police, fire not carrying or trained in naloxone use\n\nWindsor Police Service and Windsor Fire and Rescue (WFRS) do not carry or provide training on naloxone kits.\n\nFire chief Stephen Laforet was unavailable for comment about why WFRS have decided not to carry naloxone.\n\nWindsor police chief Pam Mizuno previously said she hasn't \"closed the door\" on officers carrying naloxone, but local officers remain the only ones in Ontario not carrying the product.\n\nWindsor police chief Pam Mizuno has not \"closed the door\" on officers carrying naloxone, but local officers remain the only ones in Ontario not carrying the product. (Dale Molnar/CBC)\n\nLaSalle police carry naloxone, but have never used it\n\nIn LaSalle, police officers do carry naloxone \u2014 but have never had to administer it since it was mandated in 2017.\n\nCommunity and corporate affairs officer Terry Seguin said it's important for officers to be able to save another person's life who may be experiencing an overdose.\n\nThe kits in LaSalle were first implemented for \"selfish\" reasons, according to Seguin.\n\n\"We may come into contact with the substance that they may be carrying, and it's very possible that our officers begin to overdose just from simply touching the substance unknowingly,\" said Seguin.\n\nLaSalle community and corporate affairs officer Terry Seguin said it's important for officers to be able to save another person's life who may be experiencing an overdose. (Sanjay Maru/CBC)\n\nChatham-Kent police trained on using naloxone\n\nChatham-Kent police were trained by Chatham-Kent Public Health on how to use naloxone through a detailed presentation.\n\nAccording to Sgt. Albert Pilbeam, Chatham-Kent police were trained in the fall of 2017, and all new hires since have been trained as well.\n\n\"We go into great detail to explain the symptoms and things you can observe to make sure we're looking at the correct reason for use for the naloxone product,\" said Pilbeam.\n\nPilbeam said statistics have shown a rise in calls for service, with 78 calls in 2019 for suspected opioid overdose service \u2014 21 of those resulted in naloxone being administered.\n\nOntario Provincial Police, who provide police services to Leamington, Kingsville and Tecumseh, trained all of their front-line officers on naloxone and provided kits to carry in September 2017. (Martha Dillman/CBC)\n\n\"We are very fortunate our chief is a forward-thinking person,\" said Pilbeam. \"We're fortunate to have that in place.\"\n\nPilbeam said the training to administer naloxone includes a hands-on application and takes about two hours.\n\nOntario Provincial Police saved more than 100 lives with naloxone since 2017\n\nOntario Provincial Police (OPP), who provide police services to Leamington, Kingsville and Tecumseh, trained all of its front-line officers on naloxone and provided kits to carry in September 2017. Since then, OPP officers have saved 102 lives by administering naloxone.\n\nAccording to OPP data, there was a 121 per cent increase in overdose occurrences attended by the OPP from 2016 to 2018.", "keywords": [], "meta_keywords": [""], "tags": [], "authors": ["Cbc News"], "publish_date": null, "summary": "", "article_html": "", "meta_description": "In 2019, data is only released up until June,\u00a0but already 38 people are suspected to have died in the region from opioid-related overdoses.", "meta_lang": "en", "meta_favicon": "/a/apple-touch-icon.png", "meta_data": {"viewport": "width=device-width,initial-scale=1", "apple-itunes-app": "app-id=cbcnews, cbcnews://1.5411355", "og": {"site_name": "CBC", "url": "https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/windsor-essex-chatham-naloxone-2019-1.5411355", "title": "Where Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent officials stand on naloxone | CBC News", "image": "https://i.cbc.ca/1.5405448.1576886364!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/naloxone-kits.jpg", "description": "In 2019, data is only released up until June,\u00a0but already 38 people are suspected to have died in the region from opioid-related overdoses.", "locale": "en_US", "type": "article"}, "fb": {"pages": 289720881062575}, "vf": {"section": "2.663", "unique_id": "1.5411355"}, "google-site-verification": "pJy_QmRvDz2tr7X8eQ6Y1L3Se-8RWM_PpJX42Pr_fYo", "twitter": {"site": "@cbc", "player": {"width": 640, "height": 360}, "card": "summary_large_image"}, "description": "In 2019, data is only released up until June,\u00a0but already 38 people are suspected to have died in the region from opioid-related overdoses."}, "canonical_link": "https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/windsor-essex-chatham-naloxone-2019-1.5411355"}