WEST ALLIS, Wis. — Jason Schaak has been in the fire service for two decades. In that time, he's seen the rise of the opioid epidemic.
"It's a challenge. It's a challenge to be a provider and to continuously see this happen to a community and not have the tools or resources to combat it," Schaak said.
As the Assistant Chief of Community Risk Reduction at the West Allis Fire Department, he's been working on finding those tools. Now in addition to being able to administer Narcan, the department is able to administer buprenorphine.
"This is something provided to people that are experiencing opioid withdrawals," Schaak explained.
The most common instance of when the department will use this drug is during 911 overdose calls. Narcan is administered first in those cases and stops the effects of the illicit substance, but it can also put the patient into withdrawal.
That's where buprenorphine comes in. It's a pill that dissolves in the mouth and reduces withdrawal symptoms.
"Our mission is to really provide the bridge to prescribing," Schaak said. "So when we're in front of them, we want to take advantage of that opportunity as best we can. We don't want to wait or come back the next day or come back the week later because they may be hard to find."
After giving that first dose of buprenorphine, the West Allis Fire Department works to create a long-term plan for the patients' recovery.
"It gives us hope. We have something to do now," Schaak said.
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