Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) officers were once again instrumental in saving a life.
DRPS Central East Division officers swung into action to save a man who had overdosed.
Great work today by officers in downtown Oshawa locating a male who had possibly overdosed,” said a congratulatory police tweet.
The officers acted quickly, commencing CPR, administering Naloxone and the male was revived, it said.
He received medical attention from EMS.
The opioid crisis is a complex public health issue. There are many factors that have led to an increase in opioid-related overdoses. This includes high rates of opioid prescribing and the presence of strong opioids in the illegal drug supply – such as fentanyl.
Since 2003, the number of emergency department visits due to an opioid overdose in Durham Region increased from 160 to 389 visits in 2017.
The number of Durham Region opioid related deaths increased from 18 in 2013 to 58 deaths by 2017 (Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion [Public Health Ontario], 2018).
