Jen Brodal/MDN From the left, Danika Baker and Myndi Johnson, event supporters; Mitzie Oas Nay, spokeswoman and coordinator for Aidan’s Promise; and Becky Schneider, Trinity addictions nurse and educator, are shown near the event stage at Oak Park, hosting a night of testimonials and support for those dealing with loss to addiction and overdose.

We are at an impasse with addiction and overdose in society at large. … It is crucial the message becomes: call 911. … Too many are lost in fear of calling authorities for help in situations when medical attention can save the life of someone overdosing, said Mitzie Oas Nay, event coordinator and spokeswoman for Aidan’s Promise.

Calling 911 was the primary message at the Oak Park Overdose Awareness Event Wednesday evening. Nay, who lost her son, Aidan, to an overdose 11 years ago, created Aidan’s Promise to encourage those in situations like his to call 911 for help. He could have survived — he should have survived — had someone called 911, said Nay.

Good Samaritan laws in North Dakota regarding drug overdose protect citizens from prosecution when helping save a life in an overdose situation.

Master Officer Aaron Moss with community outreach for the Minot Police Department said, “The police department serves as a conduit in providing resources to saving lives in the community. We appreciate and willingly support the Good Samaritan law and are here to assist in saving lives in that act and not prohibit it because of the language of the law.”

Trinity nurse Becky Schneider was among other speakers on addiction and overdose who provided information.

The average overdose takes eight hours, and Schneider said she can’t count the times people have said, “We just thought they were tired and put them to bed.” Eight hours later they checked and found the person dead. She said some overdose signs to watch for are unresponsiveness to a sternal rub, clammy skin and lips turning blue.

Schneider said if signs of overdose are encountered, people should always call 911 first. Always place the people in the recovery position on their sides because it is more than likely they will vomit and could aspirate if on their back.

Many people assume that injecting meth will prevent an overdose but this will only increase heart rate, said Schneider. She said many people carry Narcan, which can bring someone out of an overdose, but a large amount is often required and medical assistance is the only true way to prevent life loss.

Ninety-nine percent of the overdoses Schneider sees involve fentanyl, which is 50 times more potent than heroin. It does not take much fentanyl to overdose, especially if the user is naive, she said.

Schneider said there are five different strains of fentanyl, and it is sold and distributed through the black market and shipped directly to people’s doors. She said it is not regulated and is literally made in labs in China. It is all about the money for manufacturers, Schneider added.

Schneider said she hopes people can understand that addiction is a true and recognized disease, and the reason why people become addicted is the chemicals in the drugs impact neurotransmitters in the brain and cause them to not function properly.

“I try to make my life the escape, rather than trying to escape my life,” said testimonial speaker Sarah Bachmeier, who is six years sober.

There are many community resources in Minot, such as the safe syringe program in which users get clean needles and circumvent the spread of disease, said Nay.

The event had several booths featuring community resources, including those of Project BEE, North Dakota Department of Human Services, North Central Human Service Center, First District Health Unit, Minot Care and Recovery and Northland Health Center.