Fire department adds EpiPens to rescue arsenal

By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express

Oshawa Fire Services (OFS) has recently added another tool to their rescue toolbox, which will help them save the lives of those with severe allergies.

OFS will now carry EpiPens, used to treat those with severe allergies and prevent anaphylactic shock, on all of their frontline rescue vehicles.

“There are a number of people who have adverse medical reactions to different things and an EpiPen can be a true life saver,” states Councillor Bob Chapman in a news release. “Having these available on our first response fire trucks and our firefighters trained in the proper use will have positive results for Oshawa.”

According to Derrick Clarke, the city’s deputy fire chief, the tool will prove to be a useful one for Oshawa fire fighters.

“When someone is having an anaphylactic shock, whether it’s to a bee sting or a peanut allergy or whatever, immediate response of having epinephrine injected into them makes a huge difference,” Clarke says.

The program has seen great success in other areas across the surrounding area, Clark says.

“We’d heard through some other departments in the GTA that they’d started a similar program and were having a great success with it, so we thought this is really worthwhile for us,” he said.

Previously, fire rescue workers would need a conscious patient to direct them to their medicine and have them inject it themselves, or wait for paramedics to arrive.

Now, with specialized training dealing with epinephrine and anaphylactic shock, firefighters can deliver the service immediately when required. The pens include one for use for adults and another for children.

“The quickest response is the best response,” Clark says. “Now with our new protocols and new training our crews are able to inject epinephrine for them and immediately, so that’s been a big change in our directives.”

“This is a new thing for us, it’s exciting and the crews are really enthusiastic to be able to provide this service,” Clark adds.