City EMTs use Narcan 18 times a month

By Tessa Roy
Posted 4/27/17

By TESSA ROY Warwick EMS Coordinator Jason Umbenhauer said in the past 11 months, Warwick EMS has used Narcan to treat drug overdoses 199 times, an average of about 18 times per month. The highest number of uses was in June of last year, where the

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City EMTs use Narcan 18 times a month

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Warwick EMS Coordinator Jason Umbenhauer said in the past 11 months, Warwick EMS has used Narcan to treat drug overdoses 199 times, an average of about 18 times per month. The highest number of uses was in June of last year, where the life-saving opioid antidone was administered 26 times, and the lowest was 10 times in February of this year. This month, Umbenhauer said Warwick EMS has administered Narcan 19 times.

“It really doesn’t trend up or down. Administration of Narcan usually comes in ‘clumps’ and may follow a trend in what is available on the street and what it’s being cut with,” he said. “There is really no way to predict.”

Umbenhauer could not reveal much more due to patient privacy but also noted Warwick EMS hasn’t seen a large number of individuals being repeatedly treated with Narcan. In the past year, 12 people were treated twice, one was treated three times, and one was treated four times, he said.

Last month, officials held a press conference at Kent Hospital after 16 overdoses (most of which reportedly related to heroin) occurred in the Kent area in one weekend. Department of Health Public Information Officer Joseph Wendelken said Tuesday that since then the department has seen improved compliance with the 48-hour reporting system that requires hospitals to report overdoses they treat within 48 hours of the incident.

“We are seeing improved compliance,” Wendelken said on Tuesday. “However, we are still doing outreaching and working with hospitals to ensure that timely, accurate data continue to be submitted.”

At last month’s press conference, Department of Health Director Nicole Alexander-Scott said 48-hour reporting is a “vital tool” in helping to mobilize resources and responses to overdoses. The Department of Health had met with hospitals to assist them in troubleshooting the system and going forward, those that were not compliant would be formally notified, she added.

Of those 16 overdoses, 11 were treated at Kent Hospital. Kent President and CEO Michael Dacey said the hospital hasn’t seen another spike of that kind, and that overdose treatment rates have returned to their baseline rate of 25 to 28 patients per month. About 2/3 of those are overdoses from heroin and 1/3 prescription, a reversal from what was previously 1/3 heroin and 2/3 prescription, he added.

Dacey also said fentanyl-laced drugs remain a prevalent issue, which Wendelken seconded, saying the Department of Health is still seeing an “elevated” level of fentanyl related overdoses.

Mayor Scott Avedisian, who was at the March press conference, also attended a town hall meeting on the opioid epidemic on Wednesday night, saying it “continues to be one of the most serious issues related to public health and safety across the country.”

“Despite the efforts being made on both the local and national level, opioid and heroin addiction and overdose continue to take the lives of our family, friends and neighbors. It is my hope that by hosting an open forum we will remove some of the stigma associated with addiction and draw attention the real-life circumstances involving this crisis,” he said in a statement. “By alerting parents and students of the threats and consequences related to addiction, it is our shared hope that the City of Warwick, in partnership with numerous local and state agencies, are able to make positive progress against this growing epidemic.”

The mayor’s office and state Department of Health point to resources for those struggling with drug use, including the 942-STOP hotline, preventoverdoseri.org, peer recovery programs, and RI Centers of Excellence treatment centers that are part of the governor’s Overdose Prevention and Intervention task force.

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