Emergency personnel in Manitoba are being equipped with naloxone kits for protection in the case of an opioid exposure.

Dr. Denis Fortier with Southern Health-Santé Sud says opioids are drugs which work on the pain centre of the brain including substances such as opium from poppies, morphine, demerol, fentanyl, hydrocodone, and oxycodone. Dr. Fortier notes they saw the fentanyl issue slowly moving east about a year ago and put regulations in place to aid paramedics in their day-to-day work with patients.

He says all paramedic EMS units have been equipped with a naloxone kit for patients who they suspect have come into contact with an opioid. Dr. Fortier adds it's difficult for an EMS worker to be compromised because of the high level of personal protective equipment worn, however, in the case of an exposure the kit is there for personnel use as well.

"In this world with car fentanyl, that might be a little bit more of a concern."

Manitoba RCMP says, in the province, 1,010 naloxone kits have been distributed to front-line RCMP officers which consist of a nasal spray, to be administered to patient or officer alike who is suspected of coming into contact with an opioid.

"The safety of Manitobans and of our police officers is first and foremost," notes chief superintendent Mark Fisher, officer in charge of Criminal Operations for RCMP Manitoba. "Equipping RCMP officers with naloxone kits is a public safety measure and was a priority for this division."

Dr. Fortier adds, "[opioids] work on the pain centre of the brain, so it really is an excellent pain killer. However, all opioids are highly addictive. If you overdose on an opioid not only does it affect the pain centre of your brain, it also affects the respiratory centre of your brain. So, the brain stem suddenly decides, maybe I don't need to breathe anymore. That's what an opioid does, and most people who die of an opioid overdose are actually dying because their brain has forgotten to give the signal to their body to breathe."

The RCMP notes opioids are a reality, and that reality includes the realization that opioids can be fatal.