Research on an overdose alert system now has the blessing of Quesnel City Council to the tune of 25 thousand dollars.
Tanya Turner is the Director of Development Services…
“The funding needed is 25 thousand for a three month trial for an overdose monitor device that can detect health symptoms of an overdose within a private residence at Bridges Supportive Housing.”
The money will come out of the dollars set aside for vulnerable populations within the COVID-19 Restart grant that the city received from the province.
Mayor Bob Simpson says the City isn’t making a commitment beyond the research.
“This is to see if this system can be developed and run.  And then hopefully, if it is something that works, then the province I think would be very interested in it, as would BC Housing, Northern Health, etc.”
The research is being done by UNBC students Josh Muir and Jenny Li, who are from Quesnel.
The idea is that will develop a wristband that residents can wear that will provide real-time blood oxygen monitoring and alert staff if an overdose begins.
In December of last year a resident at Bridges died along in his room due to a drug overdose.