OPS stands for Overdose Prevention Site, one of the most valuable places in the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver, BC. They provide a safe place for drug users to intake safely. Ever since the opioid crisis has stormed the streets of Vancouver, there has been an enormous amount of overdoses. Since British Columbia’s declaration of an Overdose Crisis on April 14th 2016, the city has lost over 3,600 people and the number continues to grow. With the help of employees and volunteers at OPS, users know that staff will respond to and prevent overdoses and deaths. However, users in the streets are still encountering a toxic drug supply contaminated with large amounts of fentanyl. That beings said, it’s important to always carry a Naloxone Kit with you.
According to the data provided by the BC Emergency Heatlh Service, “the provincial rate of paramedic attended overdoses events (events per 100,000 BC residents) has increased 4 fold in less than three years, from 8 events/100,000 in January 2015 to almost 31 events/100,000 by March 2019. There are notable peaks in November 2016, May 2017, and July 2018. A brief dip in rates occurred from October to February 2017. While the rate of events has steadied in late 2018, March 2019 saw the highest rate ever at 31 events/100,000.
Gunargie O’Sullivan interviews Trey Helten and Corwin Lumleui, ex users and OPS employees. Trey demonstrates to us a step by step explanation on how to use a Naloxone Kit to stop an overdose from happening. Corwin and Trey also share different scenarios you could encounter while dealing with an overdose, and how to do the best you possibly can. Trey and Corwin have put their lives in danger to save the community.
We have been facing an opioid crisis for over 1500 days. It is important, as your civic duty to the community to learn how to save lives!
The community needs to keep advocating for a safe supply of drugs and more places to safely inject or intake. We can donate to several different organizations working towards ending the opioid crisis, such as Overdose Prevention Site or DTES Response Fund. Pharmacies are giving away free naloxone kits for anyone and free nasal naloxone to anyone who’s Indigenous or a Veteran.