FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): The Fort Wayne Fire Department needs more paramedics.

That’s the call made by the department’s EMS Chief as he spoke yesterday at the Rotary Club of Fort Wayne’s weekly meeting, according to the Journal Gazette.

Mike Brown says emergency responders have been dealing with an epidemic of opioid overdoses, with the fire department having to administer Narcan, a life-saving overdose reversal drug, five times last weekend alone and 59 times since last August. They could do more, and do it quicker, with more paramedics on the force, according to Brown.

The department currently has 270 qualified emergency medical technicians on the force, but only 15 are considered paramedics or “advanced” EMTs.

Brown wants to see that number increased to 80.