Indianapolis EMS were dispatched to nearly 70 overdoses over the course of three days this weekend, a grim reminder of Indianaâs drug epidemic that has surged throughout the pandemic.
According to officials, EMS paramedics and EMTs have administered the opioid reversing agent naloxone 255 times in the month of February. A stark 30 percent increase from one year prior when IEMS administered naloxone 194 times in February of 2021.
âWe donât see an end in sight right now and so what weâre hoping is that citizens will take this issue very seriously,â said Mark Liao, Medical Director of Indianapolis EMS.
Naloxone is an overdose-reversal drug often known by the brand name Narcan.
IEMS stated naloxone was administered 39 times over the weekend, 17 times on Friday, 10 times on Saturday and 12 times on Sunday.
âThat doesnât include firefighters, police officers, bystanders giving Narcan â thatâs just our ambulance service giving Narcan,â said Liao.
