Firefighters should carry naloxone, Cambridge councillor says
Cost to city 'so minimal that we’ll find the money,' Coun. Frank Monteiro says
Cambridge Coun. Frank Monteiro says he wants the city's firefighters to start carrying naloxone.
Currently police officers and paramedics carry the drug, which reverses an overdose from opioids. Monteiro said he thinks it would be another tool for firefighters, who can arrive to a scene first.
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"I would hate to have someone die due to, if they had the kit they could have saved their lives," he said in an interview.
Monteiro has a naloxone kit on his desk in his office at city hall. He has seen what is happening in his city in terms of the increase in drug use.
He's seen it outside his office window. His overlooks the parking lot of the market.
"Sometimes I see things happening out there that I don't like it," he said.
He has never had to use the naloxone kit, but said it took just five minutes to learn how and he's glad to have it just in case.
Monteiro said he believes he has the backing of his fellow councillors to add naloxone for firefighters to the budget, saying the financial implications are "so minimal that we'll find the money."