If this is an emergency call 911, you can save a life.
Treatment Assistance
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If this is an emergency call 911, you can save a life.
Thursday, April 20, 2017
When Matt Birr began his tenure at the Lansing Township Police Department over 10 years ago, he and his department seldom responded to calls of opiate- and opioid-related overdose calls.
From the abuse of prescription medications like Vicodin or Oxycontin to hard street drugs like heroin, Birr — and officials all around the state — have seen staggering spikes in drug overdoses to the point where Gov. Rick Snyder has declared the issue an epidemic.
Opioid-related deaths in Ingham County have skyrocketed over the last 14 years and the trend is continuing to grow at an overwhelming pace for first responders to deal with. According to a January 2017 Opioid Surveillance report conducted by the Ingham County Health Department, opioid-related deaths have risen 925 percent since 2006.