GIG HARBOR, Wash. — The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department says opioid overdoses are the number one preventable cause of death in the county, even more than car crashes. In 2023, around 300 people died from fentanyl overdoses, according to the Pierce County Medical Examiner.
So far in 2024, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department said deaths seem to be declining but are still above pre-2023 levels. The department said emergency room visits related to fentanyl in 2024 are about the same so far as in 2023.
Pierce County leaders are holding town hall meetings in October to spread awareness about the fentanyl crisis within the community. The first one was held Monday, Oct. 7, at the Gig Harbor Civic Center and the second one will be held at the Key Peninsula Civic Center Monday, Oct. 21.
The first 100 people to arrive at the town halls receive Naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses.
One woman who became addicted to opioids after surgery now helps others working in treatment services for the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department. She used illicit opioids and heroin but never used fentanyl. She said fentanyl is strong and dangerous.
“I got into recovery right as fentanyl was starting to be put in heroin and I really don't think I would, I think I would have probably been gone due to an overdose had I not gotten into recovery when I did,” said Charnay DuCrest, who now works for the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
The EMS Division Chief for Gig Harbor Fire and Medic One, Mike Dumas, said that in the past three years, they have responded to 50 to 60 overdoses a year, with a spike in 2023 and a decrease so far this year.
Dumas said all kinds of people in the community are impacted by fentanyl.
“Really for us, what we see is it goes across all socioeconomic backgrounds as well as all age ranges from teenagers to people in their sixties and seventies,” said Dumas.
Data from the Pierce County Opioid Task Force shows from 2020 to 2023, the number of EMS calls for suspected overdoses nearly tripled to around six per day in 2023. Looking at monthly data from fall of 2023 to summer of 2024, EMS suspected overdose calls have been declining in the county.
“Whether you live in an urban area or a rural area, fentanyl doesn't care where you live,” said Pierce County Councilmember Robyn Denson, who is hosting the town halls.
She said it is important that the community is aware of what fentanyl is doing to the community and is also educated on how to help others and on how wide of an impact fentanyl has in Pierce County.
“We really need everyone educated about what's happening with fentanyl because we're all affected by it,” said Denson. “And we need a whole community effort to address fentanyl and make sure that we are helping save lives.”
People like DuCrest hope events like the town halls can help educate others and equip the community with knowledge and understanding.
“I think fighting stigma is the beginning, which means educating people on what opioid use disorder is and that it does impact everyone,” said DuCrest.