Requests for disposal of used needles picking up for local fire departments

By Drew Stremick

As the snow continues to melt across the province, fire departments are preparing for increased calls to pick up and dispose of used needles found on city streets and sidewalks.

Deputy Fire Chief Neil Sundeen of Regina Fire and Protective Services says an uptick in calls is normal for this time of year.

“The snow has been hiding lots of stuff throughout the city and as it melts down, they seem to appear and our call volume for pick up in public places goes up this time of year,” Sundeen said.

On the chance you might come across an improperly disposed needle in public, Sundeen says unless you have proper safety equipment, the best thing to do is report it and allow those who have proper safety equipment to handle it.

“If a person doesn’t have the proper safety equipment or understanding of the threats and the danger with what a needle ‘stick’ can do, we recommend people don’t approach it,” Sundeen said.

“Make very good notes of where it is and call 306-777-7000, and then provide as many good details in regards to the location and number of needles present. Public safety is our main goal, so we’ll send a unit out to pick them up. Our people are trained. They have the proper disposal and protective equipment.”

For people who want to take a more proactive approach or for needles found on private property, Sundeen says people can obtain their own needle disposal kits through The Street Project, a public health program aimed to help prevent the spread of HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other blood-borne and sexually transmitted infections.

Sundeen said over the years, the Regina fire department has continued to receive more and more calls to dispose of needles.

“In 2019 we had 356 calls, in 2020 we had 615, and in 2021 we had 1,275 calls for pick up,” he said.

Sundeen said part of the increase is the ongoing opioid crisis many communities in Canada are dealing with, but also increased education efforts.

“We do a kids safety program called ‘Safety Walk,’ ” Sundeen said. “One of the things we do is do a walk down a back alley and a staged needle is put there and we discuss the hazards related to them. So the public awareness is higher than ever.”

As more and more people become aware of the dangers associated with improperly disposed needles, Sundeen is hopeful the situation will improve, and credits the needle exchange program for helping create a big portion of that awareness.

In 2021, a record 464 people died from confirmed or suspected drug overdoses in Saskatchewan.