WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Fire officials say they have been receiving at least one call a day related to the use of the synthetic drug flakka.
The uptick in calls often involve patients who are naked and delirious when responders arrive, CBS12 reports.
Firefighters and EMS providers often respond to chaotic scenes and bizarre scenes that can be dangerous, Chief Brian Lamb said.
“They (patients) are irrational, they’re overheating, their body temperatures are extremely high,” Chief Brian Lamb said. “In some cases body temperatures have reached 109 degrees Fahrenheit.
Firefighter Alex Silva described a common flakka-related call.
“The patient is completely nude due to their high temperatures,” Silva said. “And, in their psychosis, often remove all of their clothing and run down the street naked.”
Responders try to cover up patients as much as possible once they’ve been restrained by police.