Three inmates and some correctional officers were found by responders exposed and contaminated with an opioid around 5 in the afternoon.
According to the mayor of Sarnia, the Opiate crisis is widely spread in the community. Some jail staff immediately provided first aid and CPR on the affected people before firefighters arrived in the area.
Overdose case
The Sarnia fire officials performed emergency decontamination on the affected inmates and officer before sending them to the hospital for further treatment. There were about three inmates and three correction officers were taken to the hospital. Officials of the jail stated in the news that the affected inmates and officers have been discharged.
The mayor of Sarnia, Mike Bradley was not surprised when he heard about the overdose incident in the jail. This is the first incident with the Fire services and was involved with a hazmat unit. But the crisis in opiate is widely spread in the community, across some provinces, and across this country.
Furthermore, the mayor said that everyone should improve their rules and regulations, which includes the municipal and federal level to make efforts in order to decrease or stop the impact of the opiate crisis in our communities.
According to the president of the OPSEU or the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Joel Bissonnette, the incident in the jail were three inmates and three officers were exposed and contaminated with opioid hopes this incident is “a wake-up call.”
Drugs that are brought inside the jail has been an issue for several years, that’s becoming dangerous because of the kind of drug that is brought in. these dangerous drugs include the fentanyl and the carfentanil. These drugs are more deadly than the other drugs we encountered in the past.
The union wants to see additional materials or tools, and some supports for the jail to help catch these dangerous drugs from getting inside the jail. Even a small amount of exposure to this drug is very dangerous. Jail guards can become exposed and infected by these drugs by just simply providing first aid on an overdosing inmate or transporting an inmate personally.
The ministry recognizes how difficult the job of a correctional officer is, and they are committed to supporting these staff by providing them with resources that will keep them safe.
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LEARN MORE
Learn how to help by enrolling in a CPR course and for more information, check out these sources:
Wikipedia – Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): Understanding Techniques and Procedures
WebMD – CPR Treatment: Essential First Aid for Cardiac Emergencies
Wikipedia – Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): Understanding Techniques and Procedures