Dec 13 - How to be a safe Good Samaritan in an overdose scenario

Good morning !

I see the planning committee is already getting things ready for Hockey Day in Canada festivities that will be taking place in Victoria in a little more than a month.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 4 minutes

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Today: 🌦️ 10 / 6

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 8 / 6

Friday: 🌧️ 9 / 4

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NEWS

Would you know how to help a stranger who is overdosing?

So, you’re walking down the street and you come across someone who looks to be overdosing. Your empathy trumps your natural fear, and you decide you want to help. But, what do you do? We bounced that scenario off Paige Aoki, the education team co-ordinator at AVI Victoria, which provides services for people who use drugs.

“My biggest thing,” she tells Capital Daily, “is always trying to approach with as much consent as I possibly can which in this case can be just like, ‘Hey, you know, my name is Paige, I just want to see how you're doing. Can I do anything for you?’”

Prompted by an email from Cate, a Capital Daily reader, we asked Paige for a list of dos and don’ts when coming to the aid of a stranger who is having a medical emergency that appears to be drug-related.

Do: Try to get consent before approaching. Communicate clearly.
Don’t: Rush in not knowing how safe the situation is.

Do: Say your name and state your intentions.
Don’t: Assume they know what you’re going to do.

Do: Call 9-1-1 if they are not breathing and are unresponsive.
Don’t: Assume someone else will call 9-1-1.

Do: Check for a pulse if possible.
Don’t: Perform chest compressions on someone with a pulse.

Do: Check, breathing, the colour of lips/skin if someone is unresponsive.
Don’t: Administer Naloxone to someone if they say no. (If they become responsive, even weakly, or speak, they don’t need it).

See our full dos and don’ts list on Capital Daily.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

New Vic parkade parking website shows real-time availabilities.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Island Health opens new mental-health program at Royal Jubilee

Those who live with acute and severe mental-health challenges now have an added option for outpatient care.

The Royal Jubilee Hospital officially opened its Bridging Care program Monday, offering recovery-oriented, trauma-informed treatment to people with acute mental-health disorders. The program offers short-term (average four weeks’ duration) skills-based services and transitional support for people who might otherwise need to be admitted to the hospital.

"When you're facing serious mental-health challenges, getting the right help at the right time is crucial,” Jennifer Whiteside, minister of mental health and addictions, said in an Island Health release. Whiteside said because hospital stays “aren't always the best or only option," the new program allows patients to lean on a team of mental-health professionals to build better skills to manage their lives without being admitted.

The Bridging Care referral-based program can accommodate up to 15 people at a time and is entirely voluntary. Operating Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm, the program is housed at the Jube’s Eric Martin Pavilion.

If you or someone you know is struggling, call the provincial suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-suicide (1-800-784-2433), or visit crisislines.bc.ca to find local mental-health and crisis resources. 

Read Sidney Coles’ full story here.

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🗞️ In Other News

92-year-old Central Saanich high school being torn down
Built the same year as Mount Doug High (now Cedar Hill Middle School), Mount Newton High School on Keating Cross closed in 1992 and was replaced by Bayside Middle School. [Times Colonist]

IIO investigating after man injured in Nanaimo RCMP custody
The man collapsed suddenly in his cell Sunday morning, and doctors at the hospital determined he was suffering from a serious injury. The IIO will examine the sequence of events leading to the injury. [IIO]

Windowless unit in Victoria listed for $1,800
After a complaint from a prospective renter, who called it a “windowless dungeon,” the landlord pulled the listing for the 350-square-foot unit. The average price for a one-bedroom in Vic right now is $2,109. [Victoria News]

Victoria may change impounding rules from tent cities
The city says it collects up to 10 tonnes of property from encampments each week. It costs a lot to tag, bag, and store it, and the city is leaning toward shortening the storage time to 14 days from 30, and giving bylaw officers more discretion to discard objects seen as garbage or hazardous. [CTV]

Vic’s Hockey Day in Canada preparations already happening 
The Victoria Hockey Legacy Society is testing things out ahead of the Jan.17-20 fest, which is why you’ll see an outdoor rink in the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre parking lot. That’ll be operational at Ship Point when Ron MacLean and the Hockey Night Canada team come to Vic in the new year. [CHEK]

🗓️ Things to do

🎤 Pop-Up Concert: In the Garden Court at Monterey Recreation Centre. Today. 11:45am-12:45pm. [Info]

📝 Live at Lunch at RBCM: Textile conservator Emma Marentette discusses the findings of her research into a 17th-century mummified girl's burial ensemble. Newcombe Conference Hall, RBCM. Today. 12-1pm. [Info]

📚 Storytime and Crafts with Santa: Donate to Mustard Seed. Tillicum Centre. Today. 12-4pm. [Info]

🎶 Sing-Along Messiah: Audience members add their voices to Handel, in sing-along led by guest conductor Hilary Sandford. Alix Goolden Hall. Tonight. 7pm. [Info]

🎥 Holiday Movie Night: Home Alone. Be with others to watch this comedy—and enjoy pizza. Oak Bay Beach Hotel. Tonight. 7:15pm. [Waitlist]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Tuesday’s headlines: Kittens saved from trash; great storm wave pic; Saanich Christmas card winner. [Newsletter]

Video shows man showed door while protesting war in Gaza at a federal Liberal party gathering in Vic. 

Pickleball at Crystal Garden: [Capital Daily] 

Oil and ocean water: Always a spill risk: [Capital Daily] 

Witnesses help Oak Bay police catch two suspected drunk drivers in 2.5 hours. [OBPD]

School dismissed: VIU’s independent high school closing after 28 years. [Times Colonist]

Bus light: New $210K bus joins Vic’s BC Transit fleet. [BC Transit]

Mill Bay cyclist wins elite men’s title at National Cyclocross Championships. [Saanich News]

That’s it!

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