The Saskatoon Fire Department says their role has evolved with the times by providing medical care, on an increasingly broader scale, over 30 years.

There are 140 Firefighter-Primary Care Paramedics in the city.

Treatment and medications administered by those professionals have also expanded in the last three decades so in addition to introducing the use of an AED as well as Naloxone to combat opioid overdoses, firefighter-paramedics can also administer medication for diabetic emergencies, Adrenaline for severe allergic reactions, bronchodilators for respiratory distress and most recently Penthrox.

Battalion Chief, Len Protz says Penthrox is inhaled medication meant to relieve moderate to severe pain to those who are conscious, not mobile and have sustained injuries in a traumatic event.

Protz adds it’s ideal in situations like car accident and that it works quickly. “It works very rapidly, 1 to 3 minutes and it last about 30 minutes.”

The Fire Department has received just over 14-thousand calls to date this year with around 40% needing emergency medical care.