If you think someone has overdosed on opioids, call 9-1-1 right away. Do not leave the person alone to look for a naloxone kit.
You will not get in trouble for calling.
Possible signs of an overdose include:
- Slow, altered or stopped breathing
- Pale, ashen or greyish skin
- Not responding when spoken to or touched
If you notice any of these signs, call 9-1-1 for emergency medical help. A trained call-taker will guide you through caring for the person until emergency responders arrive.
“Past statistics show 99 per cent of overdose patients cared for by BC paramedics survive,” said Paul Vallely, BCEHS senior provincial executive director, patient care delivery. “The message from our paramedics and emergency medical dispatch staff is:
don’t use illicit drugs alone. Be with someone who can watch over you.”
Dispatchers may ask:
- Was the overdose accidental?
- Is the person alert?
- Could the person become violent?
- Where is the person now?
- What did they take?
- Is the person breathing normally?
Dispatchers will not routinely ask:
- Your name or the patient’s name
- Your home address or other identifying information, unless it is needed to help responders find the scene
- Where drugs were purchased
Police may be notified about a suspected overdose to help keep bystanders and responding paramedics safe.
BCEHS dispatchers do not routinely share caller information with law enforcement agencies.
In May 2017, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act (GSDOA) became federal law and provided additional protection for people who call 9-1-1 during an overdose emergency.
The law protects:
- People who call 9-1-1 for help during a suspected overdose
- People experiencing an overdose
- Anyone at the scene when emergency responders arrive
The Act provides protection from charges for simple possession of a controlled substance. It also offers protection from charges related to certain conditions of pre-trial release, probation orders, conditional sentences or parole when those violations relate to simple possession.
