LANSING — State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn) has introduced House Bill 5615, which would prevent deaths from opioid overdoses by extending a law that expired in October requiring first responder vehicles to carry an opioid antagonist drug and be trained in how to administer it.

“This bill will increase accessibility of opioid antagonists, the quickest and most effective way to reverse the fatal effects of an opioid overdose,” said Rep. Hammoud. “EMS personnel are often the first to arrive on the scene of an overdose, and it’s crucial that they have access to this medication, and have the necessary training to administer it.”

The bill would make permanent certain protocols for emergency medical services (EMS) personnel that expired in October. It would revise the Public Health Code to require EMS personnel to be properly trained to administer opioid antagonists and for an opioid antagonist to be carried by each life support vehicle dispatched to provide support.

“If we fail to extend this law, Michigan stands to see the number of opioid-related deaths accelerate,” Rep. Hammoud said. “That’s a tragedy we can and should avoid. Too many families have already been devastated by opioid overdoses. While we work to undo the damage of addiction, we must also work to prevent as many deaths from overdoses as we possibly can.”