Calgary and Edmonton police to both carry naloxone spray kits

Edmonton police says it too will be joining Calgary in providing naloxone spray kits to its front-line officers.

Calgary reached the decision at a commission meeting Tuesday afternoon.

That follows in the steps of Vancouver police, who started carrying naloxone earlier in September.

The nasal spray would allow officers to treat a person overdosing without the use of needles, something usually done by paramedics.

Chief Roger Chaffin calls it a safer, more risk adverse way to getting safety to members when they come in contact with fentanyl.

“We don’t wanna become the paramedics. Calgary has a great EMS system, if someone’s in a medical crisis we want those medical professionals there. But when we’re in a situation where we need something because we’ve come in contact quickly and we need quick relief, that’s great.”

Chaffin was unsure if other police forces in the province would follow suit with offering naloxone.

“It’s a different thing, it’s nice to see this change it a little bit, I did have concerns as all the chiefs do, about the idea of syringes and hypodermic needles without the right type of training to deploy them and use them well so this is the right type of opportunity to advance safety.”

Naloxone was made available to the public by the province earlier to combat the fentanyl crisis, but as to whether mounties will start carrying it, the RCMP say they’re looking into the matter.

If someone is experiencing an opioid overdose, from drugs like fentanyl and heroin, naloxone can be administered to immediately reverse the effects.

As of June 30th, 2016, Alberta Health Services says 153 people have died from fentanyl overdoses in the province, including 67 in the Calgary zone.

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