AMSEA is excited to announce that on January 1st, we will be combining efforts with Project Gabe, an opioid overdose response program for water workers. Commercial fishing is physically demanding, with workers enduring long hours in adverse weather and high-stress conditions. Work-related musculoskeletal injuries are common, increasing the likelihood of being prescribed opioids for pain and increasing the risk of opioid dependence and misuse.
Project Gabe is a resource for harm reduction, providing opioid misuse awareness and education, opioid antagonist training, and medications to reverse the effect of opioids temporarily. This project will provide fishermen and other water workers with opioid overdose response tools, including naloxone (i.e., NARCAN), opioid misuse education, and recovery resources in a manner that is accessible, easy to understand, and easy to implement.
This transition marks a significant stride in AMSEA’s mission to enhance marine safety and health education. By partnering with Project Gabe, we aim to extend opioid overdose response training and resources to more communities and workers. Denise Damewood, Project Gabe’s founder and leader, will continue her essential work in this new capacity as Project Gabe nurse consultant for AMSEA and the State of Alaska Department of Health, Division of Public Health, Section of Public Health Nursing.
We are enthusiastic about the impact this new partnership will have on reducing commercial fishing fatalities and look forward to sharing more updates as we integrate Project Gabe into our training and outreach. For more information about Project Gabe’s initiatives, please visit https://www.amsea.org/opioids and email ProjectGabe@amsea.org.
Thank you for your continued support as we work together to address today’s marine safety and health challenges!
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