Fredericton experiencing 'significant increase' in drug overdoses in 2024: police, fire

Fredericton first responders are concerned about a “significant increase” in drug overdoses in the city, saying they’ve already responded to more overdoses in 2024 than in all of last year.

According to the Fredericton Police Force, officers have responded to 60 drug overdose calls so far this year, compared to 64 in all of 2023.

The Fredericton Fire Department has responded to 104 calls so far, compared to 78 this time in 2023.

The police force points to fentanyl and methamphetamines – often mixed with fentanyl – as the most widely-used drugs among the city’s vulnerable population.

Both departments says they’re having to use NARCAN – the antidote that helps reverse the effects of an opioid – more often.

One overdose call in June involved a 14-year-old who needed multiple NARCAN doses to reverse the effects of the drug.

“It's tripled in the last five years, gone up between 20 and 50 per cent each year,” said Fredericton Fire Assistant Deputy Chief David McKinley. “These are people who are struggling with drug addiction oftentimes. So it's part of the package we have to deal with every day.”

First responders are reminding the public that the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act protects anyone looking for help during an overdose, including the person experiencing the overdose.

Police are seeing an increase in medical calls overall, and attribute that to drug and alcohol overdoses.

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The increase is also having an impact on the first responders themselves.

“It's demoralizing a little bit for paramedics because they keep going to the same people over and over and over and over again,” said Chris Hood of the Paramedics Association of New Brunswick.

“It’s really a challenge of keeping the faith that what you're doing is making a difference. They go out and they deliver these life-saving medications like naloxone. The patient wakes up, and jumps up and runs away.”

McKinley says the purpose of sounding the alarm is to make the public aware so they can take action, if necessary.

“The whole purpose of getting the information out today is to educate the public and so they can help themselves or help their family members to not even get in this situation in the first place, or if they are in a situation, to get help,” he said.

Fredericton Police Force Medical Calls:

• 2023: 386
• 2022: 346
• 2021: 309
• 2020: 245

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