How Bad is the Opioid Crisis in Your State?
The current opioid epidemic will kill in one year, a number equal to, or greater than, all the American servicemen killed in the Vietnam War in ten years.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) recently updated their findings on the crisis. Here are a few key items that underline the severity of the problem:
- Every day, more than 130 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids
- The economic impact is more than $78.5 Billion a year including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment and criminal justice involvement.
- Roughly 21% to 29% of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain abuse then.
- About 80% of the people who use heroin first misused prescription opioids.
- The Midwestern region saw opioid deaths increase 70% from July 2016 through September 29.
View the complete list of these statistics by state.
There is another element to the opioid crisis that is different from most drug-related deaths. With drugs like heroin and methamphetamines, most overdoses were self-inflicted.
Fentanyl and many of its analogs are easily aerosolized, creating the danger of accidental overdose by innocent bystanders, first responders, and healthcare providers.
In addition to having Naloxone (Narcan) available to treat overdoses, first responders and first receivers should be trained and equipped to identify opioids and safely and simply neutralize it before an accidental overdose occurs.
Up to now, most first responders and first receivers have had to ask for a HazMat team to be dispatched if even the smallest amount of Fentanyl is suspected. Traditional decontamination processes are complicated and time-consuming and require extensive training.
However, a totally new approach to decontamination is making it possible for first responders to safely neutralize the small quantities of Fentanyl and other opioids that they typically encounter.
Called Hybrid Decon, the process involves using specially designed activated carbon wipes that remove up to 95% of the bulk contaminant, then spraying the residual substance with a decontamination solution that chemically neutralizes it in about 5 minutes.
First Line Technology, the developer of FiberTect wipes and Dahlgren Decon solution recently launched the First Line Utilization Academy (FLUA). FLUA is the only training academy that provides hands-on training with both FiberTect wipes and Dahlgren Decon solution.
FLUA offers several different courses specifically geared to the needs of law enforcement, medical personnel, correctional officers, firefighters, and HazMat teams. Because the Hybrid Decon process is simpler than traditional decontamination processes, FLUA courses are either 4 or 8 hours in length. Among the classes offered are:
SYNTHETIC OPIOID SAFETY– 4 HOURS
Who Should Attend: First Responders, Correctional Workers, Healthcare
Prerequisites: None
Class Size: Up to 25
DRY DECON TRAINING– 4 HOURS
Who Should Attend: First Receivers, First Responders, Public Safety, Healthcare
Prerequisites: None
Class Size: Up to 50
TACTICAL DECONTECT FOR LE/EMS– 4 HOURS
Who Should Attend: First Responders, Medical Professionals, Correctional Workers
Prerequisites: None
Class Size: Up to 25
TACTICAL DECONTECT FOR HAZMAT– 4 HOURS
Who Should Attend: HazMat Team Leaders and Members
Prerequisites: NFPA HazMat Operator or Equivalent, Member of Operational HazMat Team
Class Size: Up to 25
DECONTECT TRAIN-THE-TRAINER– 4 HOURS
Who Should Attend: HazMat Team Leaders and Members
Prerequisites: NFPA HazMat Operator or Equivalent, Member of Operational HazMat Team
Class Size: Up to 25
DECONTECT AWARENESS PROGRAM (DAP)-4 HOURS
Who Should Attend: Anyone
Prerequisites:None
Class Size: Up to 75
View complete course descriptions, cost, and dates.
