Statistics for September compiled by AMR, the global medical response firm that provides emergency medical and ambulance service to Nashua and Manchester, show that reported overdoses declined slightly, but the number of fatalities from overdoses remained high during the period.

Combined, Nashua and Manchester recorded 77 suspected opioid overdoses during September, which brings the 2022 total to 701.

Compared to the period January through September 2021, the cities have seen 90 more total suspected ODs for the same nine months in 2022.

AMR medics responded to 21 suspected opioid ODs in Nashua during September, while their Manchester counterparts responded to 56 suspected ODs.

Manchester’s suspected opioid ODs decreased by 5 from August numbers while Nashua’s decreased by 2.

Preliminary data show that there were 9 likely opioid related deaths in September — 8 in Manchester and 1 in Nashua — pending verification from the Office of the NH Chief Medical Examiner.

The data also show a troubling trend in opioid-related deaths in both cities, but more so in Nashua: There have been 33 suspected opioid-related deaths through September — 3 more than the total for all of 2021.

That puts Nashua on pace to have the highest number of suspected deaths from opioids in a 1-year period since the epidemic began in 2015.

Manchester is also still on pace to have the highest number of suspected opioid deaths in a 1-year period since 2017.

AMR medics continue to see and listen to reports from suspected opioid OD patients who believed they were not specifically using opioids and were surprised that they overdosed on an opioid. Methamphetamine, which is not currently tracked and is not included in this report, continues to be seen mixed with opioids. Meth is a particularly dangerous drug for both users and first responders as it can cause extreme excited delirium and alarmingly unpredictable behavior in users.

There is no safe illicit drug. Users should bear in mind that it is highly likely there is some quantity of synthetic Fentanyl in virtually any substance that they are using.

Users should not use alone, and should have Narcan readily available. In New Hampshire, people can seek addiction treatment to prevent death by contacting the NH Doorway program, which can be reached by calling 2-1-1 anytime day or night.

–Submitted by Chris Stawasz, AMR Northeast Regional Director of Government Affairs