New Hampshire City Opens Fire Stations to People Addicted to Opioids

Manchester, New Hampshire has opened the doors of its fire stations to people addicted to opioids, in an effort to address its community’s opioid crisis.

The city of 110,000 people began its “Safe Station” program in May. Since then about 370 people have shown up at fire stations, The Wall Street Journal reports. A person walking into a fire station is checked for medical problems that might require a ride to the hospital. The person is then connected to a nearby nonprofit. Some end up in a recovery center or outpatient program, while others take information and return on another day.

At least 70 percent of people who have sought help in fire stations have gone into treatment, according to Christopher Hickey, the fire department EMS officer who created the program.