The Lincoln Park fire department says they’re responding to more heroin overdose calls. Recently, it’s been almost one every day.
They’re projecting nearly 80 deaths related to overdose in the Lincoln Park area this year.
"It seems to be the growing trend that heroin is a cheaper drug and is easier to get a hold of so they'd rather use that than the pills or doing any of the other prescription medications," says Dennis Gratopp with the fire department.
One major location is on the border of Lincoln Park and Detroit. Gratopp says people will buy the drugs in Detroit and use them across the street in Lincoln Park behind a nearby party store.
"The biggest problem and concern we have is that the prevalence of it now. It's all over and we have people dying from it and there's nothing that we can do other than try to educate people," he says.
Other areas include motels and apartments near Dix Highway. Gratopp says they’ve responded to calls in nicer neighborhoods too.
Narcans are used to reverse an overdose. Police in Lincoln Park now carry them too.
Firefighters say when you see someone getting hooked on pills that’s a early sign that they can get hooked on heroin next so it’s best to get them help right away.
