SLIDELL, LA — Firefighters with Saint Tammany Fire Protection District No. 1, which covers the Slidell area, say they’ve seen a spike in mental health and overdose emergencies during the Covid-19 pandemic. They’re comparing statistics from mid-March to now from this year versus the same time period in 2019.
During that time period this year, firefighters have responded to 42 overdoses during which they administered the opioid reversing drug Narcan 30 times. Firefighters say that their quick work probably prevented the people from going into cardiac arrest.
A year ago, firefighters responded to just 7 overdoses and administered Narcan 4 times.
Fire Chief Chris Kaufmann is encouraging people who have loved ones dealing with addiction to keep a closer eye on them. He says that the coronavirus pandemic could be putting additional stress on people who might use drugs as a way to escape.
Kaufmann says anyone who is suicidal or knows someone who is can get help from the group Saint Tammany Outreach for the Prevention of Suicide (STOPS) by calling 211 or sending a text to 504-777-3273 to contact a crisis counselor.