Naloxone training underway for Sudbury firefighters

In the coming weeks, fire fighters in Sudbury will receive training to administer Naloxone.

It reverses the effects of opioids and can help prevent overdose deaths.

The training will be provided to all 108 full-time suppression firefighters and between 15 and 20 volunteers.

Acting deputy fire chief Jesse Oshell says this training for fire fighters is important.

"In order for fire services to be able to utilize the product while responding or on the response of a medical-tiered call, there are some extra checks and balances that need to be done [and] training being one of the foremost ones of that," he said.

"So we had to ensure that we developed a training program that both fire services and the medical director approved."

Oshell says currently all firefighters can do is perform CPR until paramedics arrive. He says they're working in cooperation with the paramedics on the changes.

"We're working with them in the development and delivery of our program for Naloxone, as well as the medical program that we participate in responding to medical calls," he said.

"And so paramedic services and fire services having been working very well together I can't see us changing that."

Oshell says while there are concerns about firefighters being exposed to dangerous products, he says preventative steps are in place to protect workers.

"We ensure that our staff are wearing and have available to them the proper personal protective equipment," he said.

"There is always a possibility of exposure to different things that can happen both on medical calls and other fire type incidents. So we just ensure that the tools are available for our people, that they're trained on them and that they have everything at their disposal."

Oshell says the naloxone training should be completed by early next month.