She’s the Woman on the Line

AUDIBLE LIFE PRESERVER –

Sept. 10, 2023 – The hotline serves people who worry using alone makes them vulnerable to dying by overdose. And there is reason for concern. Total overdose deaths have climbed to nearly 110,000 in 2022. Overdoses are often fatal, but the chances of survival go way up with urgent EMS care. Never Use Alone increases a caller’s chances of survival by promising to stay on the line while you use, and send you help if you become unresponsive.

After Blanchard was finished with the call, she got dressed and met my colleague and me in her office, a modest-sized room with its walls painted black-and-purple Christmas lights running along the ceiling, with a small desk and two futons. She has a bag with Narcan nailed into her wall by the door, alongside a little plaques that read, “Very little is needed to make a happy life.” Never Use Alone’s coverage area spans North America, and Blanchard receives calls directly to her cellphone, rarely ever missing a call. That can be a matter of life or death.