No naloxone kits for park rangers and peace officers

Park rangers, transit police and peace officers will not carry naloxone kits to administer to anyone overdosing on opioids, city staff told Edmonton councillors Thursday.

• Edmonton councillors think more city workers should carry naloxone

Rob Smyth, manager of recreation facility services, said there are questions over the safety of city staff. 

Firefighters and ambulance personnel respond quickly to any incidents and are better trained than the city staff members, Smyth told the city's community and public services committee.

Edmonton firefighters have used naloxone kits 39 times since March, with the latest on Thursday morning, fire chief Ken Block told the committee,

Firefighters have been carrying naloxone kits since March 1.

"We've been responding to overdoses forever, but never have had the permission and training to deliver the naloxone, so this is new territory for us," Block said.

Outside the meeting, Block acknowledged the kits are invaluable.

"It's 39 times where someone's life was in jeopardy and yeah that's a lot," he said.

Block said the incidents seem to come in clusters.

"We actually went two weeks with no naloxone events, and in the last week there have been quite a few," Block added.

The committee asked city staff to provide quarterly updates on the opioid situation in Edmonton.

"It's an emerging issue and if more knowledge comes forward, we'd like to be able to respond," said Coun. Bev Esslinger.

Parking school buses in neighbourhoods

City councillors said they want to hear from the public and bus companies before going any further with a proposal to allow school buses to park on residential streets during the day.

• School bus drivers seek permission to park on residential streets

The Teamsters union, which represents hundreds of bus drivers in Edmonton, wants the city to allow school buses to park on city streets between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. on school days, saving drivers from making the trip to storage yards.

"It would make a giant difference," said Shelley Miller, who has been driving buses for First Student for 18 years.

Driving between her home and the storage yard is difficult, said Miller.

"We're not asking for a lot, just to park in the middle of the day when school is in," she said.

However, the committee concluded the request needs more work.

City staff will consult with bus companies and the public, and find out how other communities are dealing with the issue.

A report is expected to come back to the committee in August.

Esslinger suggested the city could issue permits to drivers after neighbours are canvassed.

"They're only asking for school days, only asking for basically 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in neighbourhoods where there is actually space," she said.