B.C. toxic drug crisis: Fewer 911 calls as deaths continue
CTV
BC Emergency Health Services saw a slight decline in 911 calls for overdose and drug toxicity last year, but some areas saw a dramatic increase, and the death rate doesn’t appear to be slowing down.
BC Emergency Health Services saw a slight decline in 911 calls for overdose and drug toxicity last year, but some areas saw a dramatic increase, and the death rate doesn’t appear to be slowing down.
Province-wide, there were 33,654 calls last year, which was a five-per-cent decrease from the year before. It’s the first time since 2016 that the number has gone down; prior to the toxic drug crisis, call volumes fluctuated between 10,000 and 15,000 per year.
“It's a very critical call to deal with and you really do need all hands on deck,” said BC EHS communications officer and veteran paramedic Brian Twaites.
“These patients are unconscious, they're not breathing, so that's a real emergency and don't hesitate to phone.”
While Vancouver and Surrey both saw reductions of 22 per cent, Victoria saw four per cent more, Kelowna rose 15 per cent, and Abbotsford saw a 20 per cent spike in calls for help with overdoses or toxic drug consumption.
The numbers are jarring considering B.C. is on track for another record year of drug-poisoning deaths.
One of the province’s most prominent drug analysts says the years-long campaign to provide and train people in the use of the overdose antidote, naloxone, is starting to have a big impact in urban areas.
