As a former assistant fire chief for more than 32 years, I have seen firsthand how the opioid epidemic has ravaged communities in Colorado. Time and time again, it has taken the lives of those we know and care for, often without warning. What makes these realities even harder to accept is that we know how to prevent these overdoses from becoming fatal for our patients.

We know that opioid overdose reversal medications, such as naloxone (also commonly known as Narcan), are critical tools in our fight to combat the opioid epidemic and that expanded access to naloxone can reduce opioid overdose deaths. Especially now, against the backdrop of a pandemic and numbers that scream for help, our state legislature can act to help more individuals access this potentially lifesaving medication. 

Overdose deaths in Colorado rose by 37% between January and June 2020, as compared to the same time frame in 2019, according to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. There has been an incredible 293% rise in deaths alone in the Denver metropolitan area, where I live. And according to the National Drug Helpline, Colorado is among the 28 states that have been flagged under a “red alert” for increased risk of death from overdose of opioids and other drugs.

Firefighters are often the first to intervene in dire situations with patients who are struggling with a substance use disorder and have experienced an accidental overdose. As trained professionals, we rely on immediate access to naloxone to help revive someone in those moments. Naloxone is an FDA-approved medication that is used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and revive someone in a life-threatening situation. And it works – but only when people have immediate access to it when they need it most.

Firefighters aren’t the only ones who understand the need for expanded naloxone access. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) support expanding access to naloxone and equipping those at risk of an overdose – along with their friends, family members, and neighbors – who often respond first to an overdose event. 

The Colorado legislature has the chance to do just that with SB21-011, which would require a pharmacist who dispenses an opioid medication to an individual to inform the individual of the potential dangers of a high dose opioid – and to offer the patient naloxone in specific circumstances. Colorado pharmacists are already allowed to offer naloxone to individuals without a prescription under the state’s “standing order” but SB21-011 would give prescribers and providers the additional opportunity to educate patients about their risk of an overdose event in a non-stigmatizing way and equip them with potentially life-saving medication at the pharmacy counter. The bipartisan bill has already passed the Senate and is currently in the House.

My firefighter days may be over, but I stand with my community of brothers and sisters in recognizing that we must do everything we can to address the ongoing opioid epidemic in our state. This includes ensuring that all patients who may need it have access to naloxone. Our elected officials must pass Senate Bill 21-011 without delay.

Tony Berumen, B.S., EMT, retired from the Denver Fire Department as assistant chief last year after more than 32 years of service.