Hamilton County continues war on opioids with planned quick response model

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. — The opioid crisis continues to be a nationwide concern.

The DEA says seven out of every 10 pills they seize contain a lethal dose of fentanyl.

Here in Hamilton County, Mayor Weston Wamp says he will continue the fight against the opioid epidemic with the development of a quick response model.

According to the 20023 Hamilton Counted report, fentanyl has topped the list for overdose deaths for the last five years.

In his State of the County address Thursday, Mayor Wamp said that there has been a slight decline in fatal overdose deaths from 2022 to 2023.

Mayor Wamp says the county has used opioid abatement money from settlements to battle the crisis.

We told you before how the mayor partnered with DA Coty Wamp to hire prosecutor Jamie Pulido.

They say his focus is on the prosecution of dealers.

Mayor Wamp says so far, Pulido has secured 3 second degree murder convictions and continues to work on 13 pending murder cases and 52 felony drug cases.

The mayor says another option could soon be available in the fight against fentanyl and the opioid crisis.

"We're in the process of designing a quick response model here in Hamilton County that will provide medical care and support for individuals in the moment of crisis. And to continue through multiple stages of need for those who've overdosed and their families. We seek to assist members of our community with the struggles of opiate overdose and addiction," Wamp says.

Wamp says this will be possible through a new team of trained professionals who would be developed under Hamilton County EMS to specifically treat overdose victims and help them during rehabilitation.

Funding would come from the opioid abatement dollars provided by the State.

To see more of what Wamp had to say at his State of the County address, go here.