EpiPen pilot project at Windsor rec centres being studied

Windsor City Council wants staff to look into a one-year pilot project that would see the city provide EpiPens at all recreational facilities.

Coun. Fred Francis asked for the report Monday night at council.

Staff had recommended the city not move forward with the implementation of an epinephrine auto-injector policy at all city-owned facilities and instead put the onus on the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit to research such a public medical policy. 

Council deferred that report Monday and will decide what to do once staff come back with a report on the pilot project.

LaSalle town council voted down a similar proposal that would have seen epinephrine pens provided at municipal facilities throughout the community.

Medical health officer Dr. Gary Kirk addressed LaSalle council last week and argued for allowing epinephrine in facilities, saying that EpiPens save lives.

He said the EpiPen is especially effective when people are having their first severe allergic emergency at a public place. For them, the EpiPen could be a difference-maker.