NEW ORLEANS — Mayor LaToya Cantrell today announced the various initiatives and trainings that the City of New Orleans public safety and public health departments have implemented to combat fentanyl overdoses, specifically using naloxone, commonly known as NARCAN. Participating departments include the Orleans Parish Communication District (OPCD), New Orleans Health Department (NOHD), New Orleans Emergency Medical Services (NOEMS), New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD), New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) and the Office of Nighttime Economy.
“Over the last year, as I have met with several elected officials from across the country, it has become evident that the ongoing opioid epidemic is a shared challenge all major cities are facing,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “We are fortunate here to have all our public safety and health teams working proactively and collaboratively to ensure we have the tools and information necessary to protect our people. By making free doses of NARCAN widely available and training the public and City employees on how to use it, we are doing our part to help protect our people and end this tragedy.”
“As the nation and the City of New Orleans has been experiencing a spike in opioid overdoses, you, the residents, can help us save a life by understanding where to get NARCAN and how to responsibly use it,” said OPCD Executive Director Tyrell Morris. “If you come across someone who may be overdosing, immediately call 9-1-1, and let’s work together to get this person NARCAN as quickly as possible.”
The New Orleans Health Department Behavorial Health (NOHD BH) Unit uses various tools to address the opioid crisis, including the distribution of naloxone. The City’s distribution has been divided into three main parts:
- Supplying NOEMS with “leave behind” kits for individuals who are revived in the field and will not be transported to a hospital;
- Making it available at strategically chosen NOFD stations throughout the city for the public to pick up; and
- Making it directly available to the public through bystander trainings and outreach programs
Last year, NOHD distributed nearly 5,300 naloxone rescue kits through trainings, outreach, and doses provided to NOEMS, NOFD and community partners for distribution.
“We are committed to continuing and expanding the collaborative work we’ve been doing for the past year with other city departments and community partners to end this epidemic,” said NOHD Director Dr. Jennifer Avegno. “By increasing the medication supply and offering overdose education to community members, we expect overdose deaths to decrease and individuals to be better linked to long-term treatment and support.”
“The Fire Department both administers and distributes NARCAN,” said NOFD Superintendent Roman Nelson. “All of our firefighters are trained Emergency Medical Responders (EMR) and respond to life-threatening medical calls with NOEMS. Last year, NOFD administered 459 doses of NARCAN in the field and also distributed 256 doses to the public from four NOFD stations spread across the city.”
NOEMS has NARCAN on all their emergency medical vehicles. They are also involved in public NARCAN programs, such as the “leave behind” NARCAN kits for people they encounter that have an overdose that they administer NARCAN to, but the person refuses transport to the hospital. The kits have two doses of NARCAN in them in case further doses are required to combat the overdose. So far, the statistics seem to be showing that the public outreach regarding NARCAN is helping.
“The previous four-year average was about 1,500 times a year, but in 2021, we had spike to a little over 2,000 patients administered NARCAN,” said NOEMS Chief Bill Salmeron. “This past year, that number went down to about 1,700 patients administered NARCAN. We can attribute that to more public access to NARCAN, and we hope this means that people are administering NARCAN, waking people up and getting them where they need to be. We certainly still want people to contact EMS if someone is experiencing an overdose since they are dangerous and NARCAN might not always last. Call 9-1-1 or go to a hospital to follow up because we don’t want that overdose to happen again.”
Recently, two NOPD officers encountered fentanyl residue on a bag while on the job. Due to the strength of this substance, the officers experienced overdose symptoms and had to be administered NARCAN. This incident resulted in the implementation of City employee trainings on the proper administration of NARCAN to not only include law enforcement and public health teams but also City employees within the Code Enforcement, Safety and Permits, Cultural Economy, Workforce Development and Economic Development departments. They will participate in a training on Friday, Feb. 10 for instruction on what to do if they come into contact with a deadly substance, like fentanyl, while in the field.
“Our goal, as always, is to help keep you safe,” said NOPD Interim Superintendent Michelle Woodfork. “The NOPD has trained a total of 978 commissioned and reserve officers, 20 Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Case workers and six Police Technicians from the Central Evidence and Property Unit to use NARCAN in the field. Unfortunately, opioid overdoses are still prevalent in New Orleans. As first responders, we know we may be called upon to save a life, and we will be ready.”
Last year, NOHD BH Unit conducted bystander trainings on how to administer NARCAN for the public held once a month on Saturdays at public libraries across the city. In December 2022, the Mayor’s Office of Nighttime Economy partnered with NOHD and the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) to formalize and expand hospitality industry trainings throughout the city. The next one will be hosted at Tipitinas’s on Tuesday, Feb. 14 for people employed within our nighttime economy, university students and residents.
“We’re proud that the hospitality industry is working to become part of the solution by hosting NARCAN trainings for staff and the public and distribution events at various local bars, restaurants and venues,” said Director of Nighttime Economy Howard Kaplan. “It’s time to keep our city safe, and the hospitality industry is stepping up.”
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