Emergency medical services (EMS) in Alberta responded to a record-breaking number of opioid-related calls last week, with half of them occurring in Edmonton.
Provincial data reveals that EMS attended to 339 calls related to opioid events during the week of June 26, with Edmonton accounting for 170 of them. The number of such calls has been steadily increasing over the past five weeks, reaching this new peak. The previous record for opioid-related calls to EMS in the province was set the week before, with 277 calls, surpassing the previous high of 276 calls recorded during the week of November 29, 2021. Edmonton also saw its previous record of 162 calls set during the week of July 26, 2021, surpassed.
Calgary also experienced a record number of opioid-related calls last week, with 111 calls, surpassing the previous high of 96 calls reported two months ago.
Publicly available data on EMS responses to opioid-related events dates back to the beginning of 2018.
Greg Rehman, President of the Edmonton Fire Fighters’ Union, expressed concern about maintaining and expanding staffing levels to address the increasing number of calls and the city’s growth. Rehman, who sometimes works on the front lines, emphasized the need for additional resources and support for frontline staff to ensure that services are effectively delivered to the public.
During an announcement about a new addictions treatment centre near Calgary, Premier Danielle Smith reaffirmed the government’s commitment to its existing plan to address the opioid crisis through a recovery-oriented approach. She emphasized the importance of providing pathways for individuals to overcome addiction and highlighted concerns about the particular drug currently on the market, which is mixed with a tranquilizer, making the use of naloxone less effective in reversing its effects.
Petra Schulz, one of the founding directors of Moms Stop The Harm, a network supporting Canadians affected by substance use-related harm and death, called for a change in the government’s approach to address the escalating numbers. Schulz emphasized the need for harm reduction measures to keep people alive and well, alongside avenues for recovery. She criticized the government’s singular approach, stating that it fails to address the urgent need for harm reduction and has resulted in high death rates. Schulz called for immediate action to treat the opioid crisis as an emergency and provide support to save lives.