Online guide gives fentanyl risk assessment to first responders

NEW WESTMINSTER (NEWS 1130) – First responders are some of the unintentional victims of the fentanyl crisis in BC, but there’s now a new resource to help them avoid danger.

The Justice Institute of BC has launched a sort of online playbook.

There have been cases of police officers, paramedics and firefighters accidentally overdosing while attending calls.

It can be absorbed through the skin.

That’s why Director of the Police Academy Steve Schnitzer says they wanted to make sure first responders have a one-stop place to guide them through if they suspect they’re dealing with fentanyl.

“We’ve created a website that’s using the best-known information from a variety of sources to educate first responders on safe handling and identification of fentanyl,” explains Schnitzer.

“The guide gives a good risk-assessment to first responders because, of course, you never know what you’re dealing with until it’s actually analyzed in a laboratory which could take days or weeks.”

He says a website seems to be the best tool as it can be updated as the situation changes.

The fentanyl crisis presents dangerous working conditions for first responders, a new online guide is now available to help them stay safe.

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