The Saint John Fire Department is among the many service providers dealing with the impacts of the opioid crisis.
Firefighters administered a record 130 doses of naloxone last year, according to figures presented during a recent public safety committee meeting.
The medication, sold under the brand name Narcan, is meant to help reverse or reduce the effects of an opioid overdose.
“We started including Narcan on the units in 2018 and, at that time, there were times where the medication would expire before it was used,” said Leah Robichaud, manager of analytics for the department.
“In 2021/2022, we’re at the stage where it’s sometimes difficult to keep it in stock and to access it.”
The department administered around 40 doses in 2018 and 20 doses in the years 2019 and 2020. That jumped to around 60 doses in 2021.
Saint John firefighters are trained to administer naloxone, which costs about $100 for each dose.
Coun. Barry Ogden questioned how many of the overdose calls were made to homeless encampments.
Fire Chief Kevin Clifford told committee members that the crisis is not limited to the city’s vulnerable population.
“The calls for Narcan and the opioid issue are not as significant in the tent cities. It’s spread around this community,” said Clifford.
“That opiate and that overdose issue are in some of our more wealthier communities. We have gone to Millidgeville for overdoses.”
In some cases, Clifford said firefighters are saving people with naloxone twice on the same day.
The figures do not include the number of naloxone doses administered by the Saint John Police Force or Ambulance New Brunswick
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