Oct. 9, 2024, the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) expanded its Buprenorphine Pilot Program and Seattle became the first city in the nation with a program for firefighters/emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to administer the medicine in the field.

SFD paramedics began administering the drug earlier this year, and now an initial group of firefighter/EMTs will be trained as well. This expanded the City’s capacity to provide this potentially life-saving medicine to patients who are actively experiencing severe opioid withdrawal.