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Board hears EMS report showing lower overdoses and spotlights a Lowell 911 save
Summary
Bridal Star EMS told the Board of Health June overdoses were the fewest recorded since 2011 and proposed short case-spotlights; presenters described a late-June Lowell 911 cardiac arrest in which coordinated dispatch, police, fire and paramedics achieved return of spontaneous circulation and the patient later discharged home.
The Lowell Board of Health on Aug. 5 reviewed Bridal Star EMS opioid reports for May and June and heard a proposal to add short human-interest case summaries to put data into local context. EMS staff reported June had markedly lower overdose counts compared with prior years and proposed briefly highlighting instances in which Lowell 911, police, fire and EMS produced positive outcomes.
"June 2026 was the fewest overdoses we'd seen in June ever," the EMS presenter said, adding the service recorded 17 overdoses and 11 patients who required Narcan. The presenter suggested highlighting one late-June medical call in which a Lowell 911 dispatcher coached a spouse to place a patient flat in a car, Lowell Police and Fire provided immediate CPR and defibrillation, and paramedics and hospital teams ultimately stabilized the patient and transferred him for cardiac surgery; the patient was discharged and receiving home care.
Lowell General's director of emergency services, Jacqueline Allard, described the hospital handoff and outcome: "This case... is a really good highlight into the handoff that happens both prehospital and then in hospital and the outcomes that it can have on the patients that live in the Greater Lowell area." She said the patient regained spontaneous circulation, was seen by cardiology, moved to the cath lab, underwent further surgery and was discharged to home care.
Board members praised combining data with short stories to show the community impact behind the numbers and asked the EMS team to include the proposed spotlights in future written reports. The EMS presenter also answered questions about performance metrics and data clarity.
