NEW ORLEANS — Drug overdose deaths have more than doubled in New Orleans since the pandemic began.
To save lives, the New Orleans Department of Health is embracing a proactive strategy and bringing in night-life workers to help.
Through the Opioid Survival Connection program, Dana Wilkosz teaches people to recognize an overdose and deliver life-saving care. There’s a new focus on getting the workers at bars and music venues trained. That way, they can step in and save a life when they see someone overdose.
The training focuses around naloxone, better known as Narcan. Naloxone is a medication that immediately reverses an opioid overdose. It’s effects last for roughly an hour, buying enough time for that person to get the medical care they need.
“That window of time to respond is really small,” she said. “They could die before EMS arrives it’s important to have a bystander there so they can step in if necessary.”
It’s more important than ever with the steep increase in drug overdoses both in New Orleans and nationwide. In 2021, nearly 500 people died from accidental drug overdoses. Around 94% of those who died had fentanyl in their system.
“We are hearing more instances of fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid, showing up in other drugs such as cocaine or methamphetamines,” Wilkosz said. “This puts people at risk because it’s so strong so we want people to be aware that this could be in their drugs.”
She also teaches them how to recognize an overdose. Key signs include shortness of breath, pale or discolored skin, blue lips, if they’re cold to the touch or if they have pinpoint pupils.
Doses of Narcan come free with the training, but are also available on their own through the program and at some New Orleans fire stations.
At the Rusty Nail, manager Nathanael Sprague said he’ll gladly take the training if it means he could save someone’s life.
“You never know what you’re going to get on any given night or any given day and even if it’s somebody who’s passing by who isn’t necessarily ‘our responsibility,’” he said. “You don’t know when it might come in handy.”
It’s training he’ll hopefully never have to use, but he’d rather be ready incase someone needs help.
“A lot of people are using more and more these days, why wouldn’t you get trained?” he said.
If you’d like to register for training, call Dana Wilkosz at 504-444-3376 or email her at dana.wilkosz@nola.gov
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