in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, D ec em be r 3, 20 20 | 10 Enjoy free virtual activities from the comfort and safety of home! We asked our most popular instructors to bring your favourite programs online and they did not disappoint! Oakville residents are invited to join by phone or Zoom. Choose from Wellness I Travel I Cooking I Gentle Fitness I Art I and more! Visit oakville.ca and search "Virtual Recreation Programs" for more information. If you require any additional support, please call Daniel at 905-845-6601, ext. 3630 for step-by-step instructions. Halton police say a recent surge of suspected drug overdos- es in the region continued last week with officers responding to seven incidents, including one fa- tality. While Media Relations Officer Const. Steve Elms would not say what municipalities each sus- pected overdose took place in he did say all four municipalities ex- perienced at least one. The victims included five women and two men. One man died on Saturday, Nov. 21. Elms described the oldest vic- tim as being in their mid-40s. Based on information provid- ed to officers and/or evidence ob- served/collected at the scene, Elms said the suspected sub- stances involved include cocaine, meth and hydromorphone. As of early Nov. 24, police said there have been 28 suspected overdoses in Halton so far this month, including six that were fatal. A November 2020 report by the Ontario Drug Policy Re- search Network, the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario, Pub- lic Health Ontario and the Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation sug- gests a provincial increase in drug-related deaths is being driv- en by a number of factors, includ- ing an increasingly toxic unreg- ulated street drug supply, barri- ers to access to harm reduction services and treatment (caused by the pandemic), and physical distancing requirements leading to more people using drugs alone. Halton police are continuing to warn those who use drugs not to use alone noting there will be no one to help you if things go wrong. They are also advising drug users to go slow and carry nalox- one. Halton police officers carry naloxone and anyone experienc- ing or witnessing an overdose can call 911. Help can also be found at: • Halton Alcohol, Drug & Gambling Assessment Preven- tion and Treatment Service (ADAPT) 905-847-6547 or www.haltonadapt.org • Oakville Distress Centre 905- 849-4541 • Centre for Addiction and Mental Health 1-800-463-2338 or www.camh.ca • Narcotics Anonymous Hal- ton 1-888-811-3887 or www.halton- peelna.org. POLICE SAY SURGE IN SUSPECTED DRUG OVERDOSES CONTINUES DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com NEWS An Ornge critical care land ambulance will soon be stationed in Halton to be prepared for those requiring a higher level of care during the pandemic. As of Dec. 1, the ambulance will be ready for deployment out of the Halton Paramedic Services headquarters on Bronte Road in Oakville. "In anticipation of an in- creased need for transportation of patients due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ornge temporarily ex- panded the critical care land am- bulance program to better ser- vice the west Greater Toronto Ar- ea," explained a report from Hal- ton medical officer of health, Dr. Hamidah Meghani. "This temporary accommoda- tion is not anticipated to impact paramedic operations and will enable Ornge to provide better service to the four Halton hospi- tals." The critical care ambulance was first stationed in Hamilton at the beginning of the pandemic, but as of December, the city is no longer able to accommodate. Regional council approved the space-sharing agreement during its October session. The new temporary Halton lo- cation adds to Ornge's existing bases, including Mississauga, Pe- terborough and Ottawa. Ornge is also still available by helicopter and fixed wing aircraft, as re- quired. The not-for-profit organiza- tion co-ordinates all aspects of Ontario's air ambulance system, the critical care land transport program and pediatric transport program, and also authorizes air and land ambulance transfers be- tween hospitals. ORNGE AMBULANCE COMING TO HALTON FOR COVID-19 RESPONSE MELANIE HENNESSEY mhennessey@metroland.com