Responding to an Overdose

Think someone has overdosed? Stay with them and call 9-1-1
If you think someone has overdosed on opioids, call 9-1-1 right away. Stay with the person. Do not leave them alone to look for a naloxone kit.

You will not get in trouble for calling.

You will not get in trouble for calling.

Possible signs of an overdose include:

  • Slow, unusual or stopped breathing
  • Pale, ashen or greyish skin
  • Not responding when you speak to or touch them

If you notice any of these signs, call 9-1-1 for emergency medical help. A trained call-taker will guide you through c​aring 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.”

Questions dispatchers may ask

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?

Questions dispatchers do not usually ask

Dispatchers do not routinely ask:

  • Your name or the patient’s name
  • Your home address or other identifying information, unless they need it to help responders find the scene
  • Where the 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.

Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act

In May 2017, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act (GSDOA) became federal law. It provides additional legal 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 protects people from charges for simple possession of a controlled substance. It also protects people from charges related to certain conditions of pre-trial release, probation orders, conditional sentences, or parole when those violations relate to simple possession.