Substance Use Disorders
This section provides EMS professionals with resources and training focused on identifying, managing and responding to patients with substance use disorders (SUDs). Articles cover recognition of drug and alcohol use in the field, treatment best practices, harm reduction strategies, and the evolving role of EMS in the opioid crisis. Learn how to address provider safety, compassion fatigue and stigma, while improving patient outcomes through evidence-based care and community partnerships.
Prisma Health’s community paramedics are leading with compassion and evidence, tackling addiction, rural care gaps and chronic conditions in real time
From chronic burnout and staffing gaps to a lack of meaningful leadership engagement, personnel are sounding the alarm — and offering a roadmap for change
A paramedic’s road to recovery proves that no matter how far you fall, you can rise again
How to navigate the opioid funding landscape to secure resources for opioid abatement, reimbursement and remediation expenses
A study by Ohio State University and the National Registry of EMTs highlights the importance of the public’s help and calls for more awareness
Firefighters assigned to Station 11 have responded to 599 overdoses compared to 36 structure fires through August of this year
Meth is showing up more often as a factor in the deaths of people who died from heat-related causes
LAFD personnel arrived at the Men’s Central Jail and upgraded the incident to a “multi-casualty incident”
The Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services will install the first of four vending machines in Brunswick
NaphCare disputed the investigation findings but agreed to pay the larger part of a $650,000 settlement
Boxes and other receptacles are appearing in several states as a way to reduce opioid deaths
EMS Assistant Chief James U. Matz said firefighters respond to up to 6,000 opioid overdoses a year
In EMS there isn’t anything more frustrating than a screaming, punching or spitting person with acute alcohol intoxication
Keep the following tips in mind when you encounter a patient who has had too much to drink
When the conditions are ripe, the distinction between intoxication and a diabetic emergency can easily be blurred
Birmingham’s first responders teamed up with community healthcare partners to reduce deaths due to overdose
UC Davis Health researchers found an association between the use of naloxone and both the return of spontaneous circulation and survival to hospital discharge
An app-based approach simplifies operations for crews while boosting drug security
The presence of medetomidine was found in the systems of those who overdosed
Overdose deaths in Baton Rouge spiked during the COVID-pandemic and are now on a decline
Two officials with Monroe County’s Trauma Star air ambulance service were indicted by a grand jury on multiple charges centered on stolen drugs
Camden County officials said the decline is likely due to outreach efforts and agency collaborations
The Colorado Springs Fire Department is using grant funding to purchase and place 500 Narcan kits on apparatus and be available to AMR
The Vancouver Fire Department’s leave-behind program aims to reduce second overdoses among patients who initially refused treatment
Legislators look at the limited ways opioid settlement funds can be spent across the state
Seattle Fire Department medics responded to 253 overdoses in June 2024 compared to 386 in 2023
Plum EMS is working to get overdose patients who refuse transport to the hospital into treatment programs
Engage your participants in pediatric resuscitation protocols, equipment and patient assessment
The Independence Day holiday can increase the number of intoxicated patients and bystanders you’re likely to encounter on your shift so be careful out there
How communities are saving lives by understanding where and when overdoses occur
Download this EMS1 fentanyl protection products buying guide to learn key steps for product selection, purchasing and implementation
Fentanyl accounted for 79% of overdose deaths in 2023
How is your agency faring on these important metrics?
