Justice Department Releases Fentanyl Safety Video for First Responders
Fentanyl: The Real Deal provides guidance for law enforcement and first responders on how to safely work around the increased presence of fentanyl in the illicit drug market.
The Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance released Thursday the training video Fentanyl: The Real Deal, a companion to the Fentanyl Safety Recommendations for First Responders. The video was produced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection as part of their effort to help first responders protect themselves against the risk of fentanyl exposure.
Fentanyl: The Real Deal provides guidance for law enforcement and first responders on how to safely work around the increased presence of fentanyl in the illicit drug market. It includes unified, scientific, and evidence-based recommendations for actions first responders should take to protect themselves when fentanyl is suspected to be present, when exposure to fentanyl occurs, and when people appear to be intoxicated due to opioids.
“We have a duty to protect those who keep our communities safe,” DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon said. “As we continue to fight this opioid epidemic, it is critical that we provide every tool necessary to educate the public, law enforcement, and first responders about the dangers of fentanyl. This video is a positive step in that direction.”
The training and the Fentanyl Safety Recommendations for First Responders, which was released in November 2017, were collaborated on by a variety of agencies and stakeholder organizations joined together as part of a Federal Interagency Working Group. The collaboration reflects concerns about the safety of law enforcement and first responders in light of the increased fentanyl exposure risk in the field.