[SarcasticMarmot]

I think fire showing up first for every event is total overkill. I understand if EMS is tied up, but you just don't see this in other cities. Downtown during certain times it can be firetrucks every 10 minutes for overdoses, the noise is crazy. In other cities that have specialized teams that just deal with that. There's gotta be a better solution than sending expensive firetrucks out for every call.

It happens in plenty of other cities as well. Mixture of the fact that fire is specifically funded to arrive as quickly as possible, so they will be first on the scene at most anything. Additionally, Fire being municipally funded and EMS being provincially funded provides a convenient way for the province to further download the costs onto municipalities.

 

[degrandprix]

A bit overkill, don't you think? Why was a firetruck needed for an OD? Why were 8 peace officers and 2 EPS officers needed for an OD?

Absolutely it was overkill, though it did make me feel like transit security is being taken a bit more seriously now.

Last year I called in an unconscious person at Gov. Center LRT in the morning. Came back later that day and they were still there! Don't know if anyone even came to check on them in the time between.

 

[MacLac]

According to my friends at EPS, yes indeed the first call to anybody, whether a fentanyl huncher attempting suicide or any other reason is to the Fire Dept. The EPS are “supposed” to administer Naloxone but rarely do as it is technically “not their job,” spoken line true Union members….lol.

 

[David A]

According to my friends at EPS, yes indeed the first call to anybody, whether a fentanyl huncher attempting suicide or any other reason is to the Fire Dept. The EPS are “supposed” to administer Naloxone but rarely do as it is technically “not their job,” spoken line true Union members….lol.

So its the Fire Department's job instead? I guess their union must be more easy going.

 

[Gronk!]

Overkill at responding to ODs is not a good use of taxpayers' money.