In past couple of months, doctors at Conemaugh Hospital, paramedics and the Cambria County Coroner have noticed a decrease in the number of drug overdoses and overdose deaths.
West End Ambulance Manager Ira Hart said paramedics have responded to fewer drug overdoses over the past few weeks.
“We were running like ten overdoses a week. Lately, maybe three, maybe four,” said Ira Hart, West End Ambulance Manager.
Emergency room doctors at Conemaugh Hospital have noticed the same drop. Doctors said over the past couple months, fewer patients have come into the emergency room needing treatment for drug overdoses.
The reason for the decline? Hart said it could be better education, awareness or just luck.
“The number of overdoses we respond to seems to be down. However, the amount of drugs on the street hasn’t decreased at all,” Hart said.
Paramedics and Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees said they can’t pinpoint the reasons behind the decrease in the number of overdoses and overdose deaths. They also said they are not sure how long the drop will last.
“We’ll go through a calm period and then a new batch comes to town,” said Hart.
Lees said at this time last year, there were about 50 fatal drug overdoses. To date in 2017, there are just shy of 70. Although there have been more deaths in total, Lees said the rate has dropped since the beginning of this year.
Hart is creating resource packets with information on treatment and support groups for drug addicts and their families.
He said education is the best weapon in the slow fight against the drug epidemic.
“Unless everybody has a combined effort in this, we’re not going to kick it,” Hart said.