SH MCELVEEN IS HERE NOW WITH A
BIT OF GOOD NEWS IN THE DRUG
FRONT.
JOSH: COMBATTING THIS CRISIS,
EVERYONE AGREES THERE IS NO
SILVER BULLET.
FOR THOSE STRUGGLING WITH
ADDICTION THE MOST IMPORTANT
STEP CAN BE THE HARDEST ONE TO
TAKE AND THAT IS ASKING FOR THE
FIRST TIME.
>> I WAS LIKE OKAY, I'M GOING TO
TRY THIS.
REPORTER: IT WAS LESS THAN FOUR
DAYS AGO THAT 24-YEAR-OLD COLE
DECIDED TO CHANGE HIS LIFE.
AND STARTED BY WALKING INTO A
TRUCK BAY AT THE MANCHESTER FIRE
STATION.
>> THEY SAT ME DOWN, ASKED ME IF
I NEEDED ANYTHING.
REPORTER: WERE YOU NERVOUS?
>> YEAH.
REPORTER: BUT WITHIN SECONDS THE
NERVES WERE GONE.
>> THEY DIDN'T DISCRIMINATE
AGAINST ME, THEY WANTED TO MAKE
SURE THAT I W COMFORTABLE.
REPORTER: AFTER A MEDICAL
EVALUATION AND A CUP OF COFFEE,
THE FOLKS AT HOPE FOR RECOVERY
NEW HAMPSHIRE WERE CALLED IN TO
TAKE OVER, AND IN LESS THAN AN
HOUR COLE WAS SURROUNDED BY
OTHERS FIGHTING THE SAME FIGHT.
HE HAD TAKEN THE FIR STEP.
REPORT IT'S JUST ANOTHER ACCESS
POINT TO GET SOMEONE TO HELP AND
THEN THEY CAN GET THEM TO US TO
HELP THEM GET CLINICAL SERVICES
OR HELP THEM GET ANYWHERE.
REPORTER: IT'S TOO EARLY TO CALL
IT A TREND BUT SINCE THE
BEGINNING OF MAY OVERDOSES IN
MANCHESTER ARE DOWN BY A THIRD
COMPARED TO THIS TIME LAST
MONTH.
CHRIS HICKEY SAYS MORE PEOPLE
HAVE COME IN THIS MONTH ASKING
FOR HELP THAN THOSE WHO
OVERDOSED AND NEEDED T HELP.
>> BRINGING THOSE OVERDOSES,
THERE HAVE BEEN THR PEOPLE.
REPORTER: BUT WHY THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT?
>> THEY'RE NOT AFRAID OF
ANYTHING
>> THE RESPECT GOES BOTH WAYS.
>> THE HARDEST FIRST STEP IS TO
ADMIT THAT YOU NEED HELP AND TO
STICK WITH IT.
REPORTER: DOES THIS TIME FEEL
DIFFERENT FOR YOU?
>> YEAH, IT DOES.
I RELAPSED A COUPLE TIMES, BUT
THIS LAST TIME I HONESTLY HAD A
CLEAR HEAD ON MY SHOULDERS, I
KNOW WHAT I WANT TO DO IN LIFE.
REPORTER: WHAT'S THAT?
>> I WANT TO HELP PEOPLE IN THE
SAME SITUATION I AM.
I'M GOING TO TRY.
I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO TRY.
REPORTER: BEST OF LUCK.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S STILL PLENTY
OF WORK TO BE DONE, BUT IN THIS
CASE THE PLAN APPEARS TO BE
WORKING.
