Substance Abuse
EMS Assistant Chief James U. Matz said firefighters respond to up to 6,000 opioid overdoses a year
The Vancouver Fire Department’s leave-behind program aims to reduce second overdoses among patients who initially refused treatment
Download this FireRescue1 fentanyl protection and detection guide to learn key steps for product selection, purchasing and implementation
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said naloxone can be safely administered by first responders with proper PPE and other safety measures
Creating a safe scene begins with understanding how your patient’s mental and physical health connect, and in avoiding these 5 don’ts
Evidence-based naloxone administration recommendations to minimize risk of COVID-19 exposure and alleviate provider fear
Charleston Fire Chief Jeff Jackson said the department will work to provide more support for its members after the death of Firefighter-Paramedic Jason Cuffee
A woman rushed the 12-week-old puppy to the fire station where medics administered naloxone using a pediatric nebulizer mask
West Virginia’s opioid crisis sparks launch of initiatives to support mental and physical health among fire and police personnel
Training, mental health resources are essential to support first responders facing both the opioid crisis and COVID-19 outbreak
Researchers warn that misinformation about unintentional fentanyl exposure can have negative consequences for responders and opioid overdose patients
The new policy outlines circumstances that require drug and alcohol testing for volunteer firefighters and other emergency responders
The Leave It Behind program aims to reduce overdose deaths by giving patients access to naloxone at home
Can police, fire and EMS overcome the challenges we faced in the 2010s to prosper in the 2020s?
The partnership, which includes the city fire department, will use $1.3 million in grants to address substance abuse and addiction
Fire company officials said Lt. Mike Naylor was first pushed by a trooper when the lieutenant wanted to protect the people inside the car before the window was broken
The firefighter was handcuffed after yelling at troopers for breaking a car window to treat a possible OD patient, refusing the leave the scene and pushing a trooper
Chief Michael O’Brian describes the biggest risk management issues facing the fire service – and where progress can be made
Firefighters will be carrying two doses of naloxone after the department administered the drug on 223 calls in one year
The initiative launches at the end of the month and will provide 24-hour assistance for those seeking to be connected with treatment and recovery options
The Dixon Fire Department partnered with the Safe Passage Initiative to prevent overdoses in the event a patient refuses treatment
Ex-firefighter Michael Halderman, whose father, grandfather and uncle all served as firefighters, sold an opioid painkiller to an informant working with Nassau County police
Authorities have not named a suspect at this time and officials said it is not clear how anyone gained access to the narcotics
The Santa Fe County’s new harm-reduction unit aims to provide access to treatment, education and the necessary drugs before they become a statistic
Luis Garcia has visited five states over 22 months, offered 106 two-hour classes and donated 2,800 Narcan sprays to attendees and saved 122 lives
During a traffic stop, a deputy sheriff located narcotics and shortly thereafter began to pass out; Fire rescue personnel arrived on scene and two firefighters also began feeling ill
Former addict, kept alive by firefighter/paramedics, now part of an Ohio community’s approach to stem the opioid crisis
Robert Gala, 26, unsuccessfully argued that his oxycodone addiction was a disability that should have spared him termination after five years on the job
Robert Duncan, U.S. attorney for eastern Kentucky, called the doctors involved “white-coated drug dealers”
The collaboration will provide agencies a streamlined way of managing and tracking narcotic distribution
Understanding your community’s needs and creating custom community engagement plans by station
Board certified emergency medicine physician Bryan Bledsoe says EMS providers rarely need to administer naloxone
NH Project FIRST enlists “quick response teams” to return after an overdose call and offer to connect individuals with services at their local treatment hub
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