What It’s Like to Respond to an Overdose Emergency

Trigger Warning: This article contains language about overdose that could be triggering for some people.

The overdose epidemic in this country has continued to outpace itself. Drug overdose deaths, most of which were opioid-related, hit a new high in 2022. For every one of these 109,000 deaths, there were many more non-fatal deaths, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control.

Meanwhile, the breathtaking scale of this epidemic can sometimes eclipse the more intimate, on-the-ground reality of an overdose as it unfolds in real people’s lives. This often greatly affects not just the individual and their family and friends but the professionals whose job is to respond to the emergency.

Retired police commander Patrick Fitzgibbons was one of these professionals. During a law enforcement career spanning more than two decades, he was often dispatched to overdose scenes. Today, he advocates for first responder mental health on his podcast CJEvolution and as a national outreach liaison for FHE Health, having found recovery through Shatterproof at FHE Health, a specialized program for first responders.

Fitzgibbons recently shared his experiences of what it was like during an overdose response and how those events impacted him, sometimes profoundly. For those highlights and more, check out the below Q&A with Fitzgibbons.

When a First Responder Receives an Overdose Call

Can you describe what it’s like to respond to an overdose call?

These calls are very time-sensitive for obvious reasons. Unfortunately, I responded to many overdoses in my career, and not everyone survives. The primary thoughts in my mind when I responded to these calls were getting there in time to hopefully assist in saving a life and the safety of the other first responders involved.

The Protocol for What to Do in Overdose Emergency

What is it like arriving on the scene of an overdose, and what is the general protocol you’re supposed to follow as a first responder?

As you can imagine, emotions can run high in these types of situations. Often there will be family and friends who are on the scene and who have found the victim. These situations can also involve nefarious people who may still be present and are also under the influence. A critical challenge for a first responder is scene security. Overdose scenes can be very dangerous, because the first responders not only have to assist the victim but make sure the scene is and remains safe. There have been cases where first responders were exposed to harmful substances and in some cases, have even overdosed by coming in contact with fentanyl.

After the scene is secured and after initially assessing the person experiencing an overdose, the officer can utilize Narcan (naloxone) which law enforcement officers carry.  Narcan is an “opioid antagonist,” meaning it can often reverse the effects of an overdose long enough to get the patient to a higher level of care. Once Narcan has been administered, officers will take the victim to the hospital to continue the overdose investigation.

The Emotional Toll of Responding to Overdose Calls

How does responding to overdoses affect you as a first responder, both professionally and personally?

Responding to these incidents has a big effect on first responders because of the emotions involved, especially when a young person is lost to an overdose. I remember going home and staring at my kids and getting upset after responding to calls like this. These incidents often stick with you for a long time.

Are there specific incidents or moments that have left a lasting impression on you?

Yes, I remember responding to a 19-year-old, whose mother found him with a needle stuck in his arm. She found him early in the morning in the bathroom. He had been deceased for a few hours, and she kept screaming at him to wake up and that he was going to be fine. A very difficult scene. The teenager got involved with the wrong crowd and became an addict.

Lessons from the Experience of Facing Overdose as a First Responder

How has your experience as a first responder shaped your perspective on substance abuse and addiction? Has it changed your understanding or influenced any personal or professional decisions?

It has shaped my perspective tremendously. As a first responder you get a front-row seat to the problems communities face with illicit drug use, and people who struggle are from all walks of life. I am much more empathetic now, having personally struggled with alcohol and received treatment, than I ever was in the past. In fact, I would not be in this current line of work if I didn’t reach out and get the treatment I needed. My passion now is to help as many people as I can.

What measures or changes do you think could be implemented to further prevent overdoses and support individuals struggling with addiction in the community?

I think this is a complex issue. From some doctors overprescribing pain medication to the normalization of illicit drug use, this is going to take a collaborative effort by all stakeholders. I do believe that continued education, training, and awareness is one of the best ways to help mitigate overdoses and support communities, the criminal justice system and people who struggle. Unfortunately, we now live in a society that believes in decriminalizing some drugs, depending on the state and municipality, and I don’t believe this solves the issue. I think this often exacerbates the problem.

The Need for Collective Action

From your experience, what do you think is the most important thing for others to know about overdoses and the impact they have on individuals and communities?

Drugs that are on the streets are highly addictive and very dangerous. Drugs are so prevalent in our society that one doesn’t have to go very far to find someone they know who has been affected directly or indirectly by illicit drugs. Drugs such as fentanyl don’t discriminate and affect every community from every socioeconomic background. Education and awareness are key. Law enforcement on its own can’t win this battle. It must be a collective effort involving lawmakers and communities.

Got a question for Patrick? Email him directly at pfitzgibbons@fhehealth.com.