Last month, the Saskatoon Fire Department reported responding to 680 overdoses in April alone, a sharp spike that followed the closure of Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR) at the beginning of the month.
A representative from IAFF Saskatoon Firefighters Local 80 noted that even these numbers don’t capture the full picture, as crews are often treating multiple patients at a single overdose scene.
“These folks are showing up to work every day to save lives, but at the rate they are responding to overdoses, it is clear the current situation is becoming increasingly unsustainable,” said Leroy Laliberte, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Addictions.
“This provincial government continued to be asleep at the wheel. We need both immediate and long-term action to address this drug crisis — opening up a few detox beds when hundreds of people are overdosing in a single month just isn’t going to cut it.”
The strain extends beyond firefighters. Saskatoon paramedics and nurses are also working at capacity. The Saskatoon Paramedic Association reported a dramatic surge in overdose calls—some shifts responding exclusively to overdoses.
Since Prairie Harm Reduction’s closure, St. Paul’s Hospital has had to establish a dedicated emergency room team to manage overdose cases. The Saskatoon Community Clinic reported ordering kneepads for nurses due to the frequency of performing CPR during overdose responses.
“We are burning out and exhausting the resources of some of our most important frontline healthcare workers,” Laliberte said. “There is clearly a huge increase in the need for overdose services in Saskatoon — where is Scott Moe in all of this? The provincial government should be leading, not completely missing in action.
It’s time for change.”
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