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Boston overdoses by the numbers
By adamg on Mon, 11/16/2015 - 7:22am
WBUR posts statistics from Boston EMS about responses to drug overdoses in the city - with the odd fact that most overdose deaths happen between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
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Comments
We work between Haymarket and
We work between Haymarket and NStation and are constantly seeing EMTs and OD's and borderline OD's out our office window. It's the living dead. Sad.
Also striking
22% of patients seen by Boston EMS were not from Boston, with another 34% either homeless or of undetermined residence. And statewide most are over the age of 30
So
Lumping "unknown" into another category (8% of patients were homeless, 26% were unknown) is not a great way to understand the statistics.
That's not necessarily
That's not necessarily surprising - lots of reasons people not from or not residing in Boston may be in Boston and need EMS, and that includes opiate users. And, as the article notes, this is run data from EMTs and paramedics, and finding out someone's place of residence isn't typically a priority on an emergency call. It depends on what you can get from the patient, bystanders, other first responders, family, etc.
timetable?
So does that mean there's major distribution on Tuesday and Saturday, or have I read too many mystery novels?
Unlikely
More likely, the kind of person who needs drugs at 9am on a Tuesday/Saturday is rather desperate for their fix and less concerned over exact measurements.
Overdoses higher on days government checks come in
In 2014, the first of the month, the day that government checks typically arrive, fell on either Tuesday, Saturday or Sunday six times. Sunday checks are delivered/deposited on Saturday. If you throw in Mondays and Fridays, the 1st fell on days other than Wednesday-Thursday nine out of twelve times which is not unusual but may explain why money was flowing on Tuesdays and Saturdays. As for the 9 am -1 pm timeframe, most unattended deaths (at home, on street) are reported early in the day when somebody realizes that the deceased hasn't come down for breakfast. For the elderly who may be more likely to keep the "early to bed, early to rise" lifestyle, the death calls begin around 6 am.
Unsafe side of the Emerald Necklace
The reeds (Phragmites) behind the Victory Gardens in the Fenway is where heroin is being sold and used quite openly. There is a homeless encampment of tarps, umbrellas, lawn furniture and a regular stream of EMS responses day and night. Hypodermic needles in the community gardens are in abundance, as are human feces and vandalism. There have been several deaths.
Public officials have been ineffective or disinterested. Mounted BPD patrols were disbanded some years ago and D-4 police bike patrols never materialized in this hot spot. The Park Rangers do their best.
- Mike Ross, 2009
https://fnsupertest.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/letter-mike-ross-on-police-...
Not.
The MASSACHUSETTS legislative delegation has been unable to secure federal support for the removal of the invasive reeds, except in front of the Landmark Center and new 31-story luxury tower.
http://www.universalhub.com/2015/bra-approves-31-story-tower-replace-old...
- Julie Crockford, president of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/11/15/broken-link-emerald-necklac...
Um, okay
Not for naught, but people dying from heroin overdoses is a bit more of a pressing issue than the removal of phragmites from the Muddy River, and I do want them removed.
EDIT- I did change the beginning. The anon below subtly pointed out a spelling error. And I should know that one.
Not for naught, but the
Not for naught, but the removal of drug havens like the reeds along Muddy River would ultimately make this horrible endemic more visible, and therefore more likely to be addressed by local citizens pressuring law enforcement and health officials into finding a real solution. Thus far, it seems the solution has been to turn a blind eye to the mess that is the Fens. And that's both inhumane and unconscionable.
Yes, but
First, there is no guarantee that they would stop shooting up there. They shoot up in the Common, and there are no reeds anywhere near there.
Second, if they did just move along, the problem would just be shuffled on to another place. Yes, that would be a boon for the area, but that would be a general public safety boon. In the long run, if your only solution to the heroin problem is to cut down some reeds on the Muddy River, you have no concern about the epidemic.
Yes, let's ignore where the drugs are sold and used
Yes, let's leave the drug dealers, durg users and homeless in the reeds. Then the problem will go away.
No one here said cutting the reeds down would solve the opiate addiction problem. I think the post was saying that the activity and deaths by overdose in that Fenway hot spot going unchecked is part of the problem.
Yes, the reeds should be removed. Yes, social workers should go there and try to help the homeless. Yes, police should try a little undercover work in the Fenway and make some arrests.
Yes, there should beds for the homeless in Boston and treatment programs for the addicted.
THAT might have an impact on the problem of public safety and public health.
Okay, let me say it different
You were totally trying to steer the conversation from the tragedy of heroin to your pet cause of getting the reeds from the Muddy River. While I agree that the reeds should go, we are talking about something different.
But if you can explain how your cause can help clean up the methadone mile, I'm all ears.
There are definitely a few
There are definitely a few hotspots in the city; All over the Common, Southhampton to Melnea Cass, Andrew Square, the Chinatown T, (right next to the Ritz,) Directly in Central Square.
It's all completely open and visible. Everyone knows there are drugs bought, sold and consumed. Too bad the city hasn't got any outreach plans, because everyone knows exactly where they should start.
Too bad about that Agent Orange ban
for killing off the invasive species. The reeds, of course.
For public safety, I hope there is a less toxic substitute, though I can't imagine the Muddy River to be so pristine...
Time to play the theme song