LIVINGSTON -- Livingston Parish firefighters answered more than 1,100 overdose calls in 2024, which is more than three a day.

Officials say nearly two hundred cardiac arrests last year were linked to opioids.

The parish is using more than $350,000 from Louisiana opioid settlement funds to better equip firefighters for those calls.

That money will cover equipment for all 11 Livingston fire districts. Each district will receive a LUCAS Mechanical CPR Device, which performs chest compressions, a LikePak AED, and a suction machine. This equipment can be used for opioid overdoses and a wide range of medical calls.

"It was based on a lawsuit nationwide, it wasn't just in Livingston Parish. The only thing that made Livingston unique is the fact that we fought to get the funds back to the parishes versus the state," Opioid Prevention Coordinator Melissa Jones said.

The chest compression machine can help keep people alive until overdose reversal drugs take effect.

"It's rough on people trying to do that manually, they run out of air. You need more than one person when you're doing that. This CPR can stay attached to them while they are traveling to the hospital, even when it's a long distance," Livingston Parish President Randy Delatte said.

The equipment can help in cases on land, and on boats.

"It also helps cardiac arrest people or any boat emergency that's out on the water," Delatte said.

Additional equipment will be given to districts two, four, and nine, as those are water rescue zones.

"They're in the process of being given out. We have the last corporate endeavor agreement, which would be our Denham Springs Fire Department. It had to go in front of the city of Denham Springs Councilman," Jones said.

Jones says once it's signed off on, which she expects them to have on their agenda next week, the order can be placed.

According to data from the Livingston Parish Coroner's Office, the department counted 57 overdose deaths in 2024, 42 of which were related to fentanyl. This is down from 2023, which saw 86 deaths from overdoses with 78 related to Fentanyl. 2022 saw 122 overdose deaths.

The parish is also spending $15,000 to help fund a summer camp for Students Against Destructive Decisions, or SADD.

"To have any kind of money to fight this crisis is great and we appreciate it coming in and as it comes in, we will provide programs that help the citizens of our parish," Delatte said. 

According to the SADD website, the 2025 summer camp will last from June 9 until the 13th.