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Phoenix firefighters running out of Narcan for overdose calls, association says

United Phoenix Firefighters Association reports crews are responding to more overdose calls than ever.

PHOENIX — Firefighters say they are facing major challenges when it comes to how they respond to fentanyl overdoses here in the Valley.

The president of the United Phoenix Firefighters Association said those types of calls come in daily. 

"You can be on a truck on one day and respond to three or four different fentanyl overdoses," Bryan Willingham said. 

He said there are some areas that are hit harder than others but for the most part it's happening all over the Phoenix area.

"There is no pattern, that's the problem with it."

RELATED: Valley men accused of trying to sell 400K fentanyl pills to undercover agent

Since 2019, Willingham said they've seen between 500 and 600 more overdose calls each year just in Phoenix. The association is projecting a total of 7,000 calls this year.

When firefighters respond to those situations, he said there are times when it's not just one person who needs help. 

"We could have three, four, five people, literally all of them unconscious," Willingham said. "It becomes a very, very stressful critical incident for everybody there."

Narcan is a narcotic used to rapidly reduce opioid overdose. The association said that because of how potent fentanyl is, it requires multiple doses.

"We are not just pulling them out of their overdose with one or two dosages," Willingham said. "We sometimes need several dosages." 

He said there have even been instances where crews have run out of Narcan while performing life-saving measures, having to call for backup to bring more. 

Now, fire departments have started to order more ahead of time as these calls continue to rise. 

Garrett Kitchens with The River Source Treatment Center said about 40% of its patients are recovering from fentanyl. When asked how long this crisis will be around, he believes it's here to stay.

"Fentanyl will be the primary opiate I think for the foreseeable future," Kitchens said.  "It's easier to get, it's more effective for the user so until someone innovates and finds a stronger fentanyl this is what we are going to deal with."

In 2021, The Arizona Department of Health Services reports more than 2,000 Arizonans died from opioid overdoses, with the majority being reported as fentanyl overdoses.

RELATED: Phoenix police make history after finding 1 million fentanyl pills in Avondale

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