Local emergency medical services (EMS) have been taxed by the continuing opioid crisis in our region. During one six-day period last summer in Cincinnati, there were 174 overdoses.
However, there were fewer overdose deaths last year due to paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and other first responders quickly administering Narcan treatments. Emergency medical service professionals rush to the scenes of accidents, crisis situations and medical emergencies each day. In Ohio, all fire departments and medical transportation services are required to have a physician medical director.
Here to discuss EMS in Greater Cincinnati are Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and Associate Director in the Division of Emergency Medical Services at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Dr. Dustin J. Calhoun; and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Dr. Donald Locasto.