CALGARY — It was Halloween 2017, and Const. Nicole Buchanan had plans to see her daughter’s first trick-or-treat experience.

The 10-year veteran was pulling people in and out of cells at the Calgary police arrest-processing unit when she noticed one of the detainees was paying a little too much attention to her movements. She moved to get a better look.

“I could see a line of green powder,” Buchanan said.

When she confronted the detainee, she said, he reacted like a kid caught doing something wrong. He quickly brushed the powder off the bench beside him, sending it airborne right next to Buchanan.

The man was taken out of the cell — and started having an overdose. It took three doses of the medication naloxone to revive him.

“We debriefed the situation after everything was kind of calmed down and slowed down,” she said. “As I was sitting there, I went: ‘I don’t feel right. Something is wrong. I don’t feel like myself.’ And the best way I could describe it is it felt as if I had cleaned a bathroom or oven with a really strong cleaning chemical; that burning sensation was in my nose.”

Buchanan went to hospital, fearful that she’d been affected by a dangerous drug. Since Calgary police started keeping track in September, its members have reported seven cases of suspected exposure to unknown substances.

Cases like Buchanan's have prompted police to take action to protect their service members on the front lines of the opioid crisis. In Calgary, CPS has invested in new equipment: half masks with respirators.

But these new safety measures are facing surprising dissent as some health officials call fears of second-hand exposure overblown — even a threat to the health and safety of overdose victims.

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The provincial government is taking fears of second-hand exposure very seriously. Alberta Health, in a statement, said there are “concerns regarding occupational health risks for workers who may encounter fentanyl or traces of opioids as part of their employment.”

In February, the Alberta Opioid Response Commission recommended that the health minister produce guidelines addressing the public-health risks associated with exposure to opioids, including guides for appropriate personal protective equipment and standards for how to properly address fentanyl-contaminated sites, such as buildings or vehicles.

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Part one | Alberta’s opioid battle: Contact with drugs making first responders sick

Edmonton bouncer finds herself on the front line of the opioid crisis

Experts agree naloxone is central to fighting Canada’s opioid crisis — but they also say it’s not a ‘wonder drug’

So far this year, CPS has administered 17 doses of naloxone in 11 overdose cases. (Six cases required multiple doses.) Since March 2017, the force has purchased 840 naloxone kits and continually replenished its stock to replace any damaged, used or expired kits.

Now CPS is in the midst of equipping 500 front-line workers with the new respirators in order to keep them safe as well. The ultimate goal is to train 1,500 workers to use these custom-fit masks.

Chief Roger Chaffin said the process will take time. Budget isn’t a concern; rather, it’s the training the officers must undergo to ensure they can do their jobs safely with the masks on. They may not be suited up until early this summer.

“In a better world, you’d just be able to have this ready tomorrow,” said Chaffin.

But some health experts aren't sure more protective equipment is necessary at all.

Dr. Eddy Lang, professor and department head for emergency medicine at the University of Calgary, says most cases of suspected exposure turn out to be stress-induced panic attacks.

Lang told the Star that confirmed instances of exposure are quite rare. Diagnoses are performed through clinical observation; similar to opioid intoxication, a patient’s breathing slows and they fall into a “classic comatose state.” Still, Lang emphasized that symptoms of panic are serious and shouldn’t be ignored.

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In Lang’s opinion, basic equipment like masks, gloves and goggles are sufficient to stay safe. Based on his research, when exposures do happen, the extremely potent drug carfentanil is behind it.

“If you just take routine precautions, the likelihood of a front-line worker getting into trouble from a carfentanil exposure is minuscule,” he said. “We shouldn’t exaggerate the risk and put patients at risk because we’re overly cautious and taking lots of time to treat people.”

A document published by the BC Centre for Disease Control underlines the risk of requiring first responders to put on advanced protective equipment when dealing with people who use drugs.

“Overestimation of the risk of fentanyl exposure increasingly stigmatizes people who need our help and compassion by telling the public that they are ‘untouchable,’” the document reads. “A similar situation happened with HIV-AIDS patients in the 1980s and ’90s.”

When it comes to investing in his officers, Chaffin said you can’t be too cautious, especially with carfentanil in the province.

“It’s even less visible. It’s in such minute quantities, it’s hard to see with your eye. It’s just a chaotic problem for people,” said Chaffin. “You can only imagine what’s next.”

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When Buchanan was released from hospital, following some observation, she was handed a naloxone kit. Hospital staff told her that, although she seemed OK, it was wise to take precautions because they weren't sure what gave her an adverse reaction.

Buchanan returned to fill out paperwork on the workplace incident. She felt fine, so she began her drive home to Red Deer, an hour and a half away.

“I was good until about half an hour out,” said Buchanan. “And then I was sick. And I was sick like the flu, times a lot. It was horrible to the point that I pulled over.”

She stopped at a gas station and waited for the feeling to pass.

“I was still functioning, was still coherent. At no point did I lose that ability, but it obviously was scary,” she said. “I remember breaking down on the way home, having an absolute meltdown. It was extremely emotional.”

By the time she got to Red Deer, she’d missed the Halloween festivities. Her daughter was asleep. She told her husband what had happened, showing him how to use the naloxone kit in case the feeling returned and she was incapacitated.

The kit is still there, in the drawer of her nightstand.

Helen Pike is a Calgary-based reporter covering social justice, democracy and immigration. Follow her on Twitter: @Metropike

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