New statistics released by the City of Calgary indicate a significant surge in overdose calls for the fire department this year compared to the previous year. Fire Chief Steve Dongworth noted that the spike in overdose calls is part of a broader uptick in medical emergencies, potentially leading to a record-breaking year for the department with an estimated total of nearly 100,000 calls.
Dongworth highlighted that overdose calls now make up approximately half of all emergency calls, signaling a shift in the responsibilities of firefighters. This evolving role poses new challenges affecting service performance and unit reliability, as stated by Dongworth. To tackle these challenges, the department has been evaluating which calls necessitate a fire response. However, the increased focus on medical emergencies, particularly opioid overdoses, has offset the gains made in optimizing response strategies.
Furthermore, the nature of overdose calls takes an emotional toll on staff, with an observed rise in members taking leave. Dongworth emphasized the need for increased budget allocations from the city to address these challenges. Additionally, he called upon the provincial government to provide financial support to compensate the department for the escalating number of medical calls, including overdoses, to alleviate the strain on resources and services.
Addiction specialist and professor Monty Ghosh pointed to shifts in the local drug supply, such as the prevalence of more potent forms of fentanyl combined with potent animal tranquilizers in street drugs, as a possible factor contributing to the surge in overdoses. This altered drug composition has led to complications in overdose responses, requiring higher doses of naloxone than previously needed. Ghosh suggested that these challenges may be prompting more calls to emergency services, diverting some resuscitation efforts from community responders to EMS or fire services.