Lexington FD talks preventing more drug overdoses in the city
LEXINGTON, KY. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) — “I like to think that the number of overdose fatalities going from 210 to 179 is a reflection of the work that we’ve all been doing,” says Captain Seth Lockard with the Lexington Fire Department.
A new Amethyst Recovery report claims Kentucky is one of the bottom 10 states in the country when it comes to deadliest in drug overdoses.
“I oversee our community paramedicine program. So that is a team of multidisciplinary team it’s involving police officer. We have currently two other firefighter paramedics soon to be four. We have currently three social workers soon to be four, and we have a peer support specialist,” added Capt. Lockard.
The community paramedicine program at the Lexington Fire Department also focuses on substance use disorder, with individuals that experience overdoes within a 24-72 hour time frame.
That means also sending people out to knock on individual doors.
“Our program is adapted based on what’s in the community,” also says Lockard.
Adding that being out and about in the community, they’ve also seen other types of drugs.
“Xylazine is it’s a medicine used in for veterinary services, okay, and so it’s not an opiate. So Naloxone doesn’t work on it, so it doesn’t impact the drug action on the body. But Xylazine has a tendency to create these skin ulcers,” added Lockard.
Narcan is the brand of naloxone, naloxone is a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose, most recently the medicine went over the counter meaning you can purchase it at any pharmacy.
“Last summer, we were able to start leaving their naloxone behind from our ambulances. So when our ambulances responded to an overdose, they could offer the Narcan to the individual the patient they could offer Narcan to the family, friends. Late last year, the Lexington Fayette County Health Department received a grant to buy these great Naloxone boxes, we’re working with them to get them mounted up, wherever in the community,” he said.
Captain Seth Lockard with the Lexington fire department also spoke on the decrease in drug overdose deaths between 2022 and 2023.
The numbers for 2024 are still not available yet.
“Would love to see that number be zero, right, that will be an ultimate goal,” he also said.
Lockard says when they are in the community, they are trying to educate others that drugs can also be laced with other substances.
And encourages everyone to be kind especially to those whom may be going through addiction.
