The quick action of police and bystanders saves life of Edmonton man. It was the only difference between life and death for an Edmonton man who overdosed on fentanyl in Athabasca.

Saving a life

An Athabasca RCMP officer was waved down by a vehicle on Highway 55 at 42 Street in Athabasca. A female driver informed the officer that a 27-year old man in the back of her truck was overdosing after using fentanyl. It is a potent synthetic opioid that has already killed more than 150 people in Alberta.

Edmonton first aid — Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a life-saving technique vital during emergencies.

According to the police, the man was unresponsive, not breathing and did not have a pulse. As the officer attended to the man, another woman approached the scene in another vehicle stating that she had been in a collision with the truck nearby.

The woman assisted the officer in delivering CPR on the man at the side of the road. The man was loaded into the back of the truck where they continued to perform CPR while being driven to Athabasca hospital.

Upon arrival, the medical staff stabilized the man before transporting him to Edmonton where he remains in the healthcare facility in serious condition. The Edmonton man had been visiting the Athabasca area and it remains unclear where the man obtained the fentanyl. Until this point, there had been no reports of fentanyl use in the Athabasca area.

Timely action

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a life-saving technique vital during emergencies. You can learn the necessary techniques by enrolling in a first aid course today.

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