Paramedic recounts personal loss and burnout amid BC's opioid crisis

Cam Fenton, a paramedic living in Cultus Lake, B.C., writes about a recent overdose call where he administered naloxone and revived a patient, only to later confront the death of his friend Ben, who succumbed to an overdose in 2023 despite having the antidote at hand. He reflects on the emotional toll of repeatedly responding to overdoses, describing it as compassion fatigue—a condition the Canadian Medical Association identifies as the cost of caring for others.

Fenton points out that British Columbia recorded a record 2,511 toxic-drug deaths that year, underscoring the persistence of the crisis despite widespread naloxone distribution and supervised consumption sites, which a University of British Columbia study says have saved thousands of lives. He observes a growing public backlash against harm-reduction strategies, leading to policy moves such as expanding involuntary care for drug users. While acknowledging his own burnout, Fenton emphasizes that each patient has loved ones, urging continued empathy and support for those at risk.