Suicide, accidental deaths in Westmoreland dropped in 2024, coroner says
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Westmoreland community relations and prevention Director Tim Phillips knows the county is doing something right in its efforts to reduce accidental drug overdose deaths.
There was a nearly 15% decrease in those deaths in 2024, according to the Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office annual report released Tuesday — which also noted reductions in drug, suicide and traffic crash fatalities.
Eighty-one people died from an accidental drug overdose, down from 95 deaths in 2023.
It was the lowest number of such deaths since 2012, when 78 people died. The report shows a sharp downward trend from 2021, when that figure hit 168.
The powerful opioid fentanyl remains the top contributor to overdose deaths; it was present in 62 cases. Xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer, was the second highest contributor, being present in 34 cases.
There were 57 people who died by suicide, marking the second consecutive year in which that number decreased since hitting a high of 62 in 2022.
There were 20 fatalities related to traffic crashes, compared with 26 the previous year. That’s the second lowest number since 2007, behind 2018, when there were 18 traffic-related deaths.
‘Difficult to pinpoint’
“It’s difficult to pinpoint, but I would like to say that the increase in harm-reduction efforts — including our Narcan distribution — has made a difference,” Phillips said.
Opioid overdose drug naloxone is available for residents to pick up at Phillips’ office, but the community relations and prevention department also hands it out to treatment centers, law enforcement, local business owners and the county jail. Every discharged prison inmate is supplied with the drug, he said.
Phillips’ office also provides kits that can be used to test drugs for the presence of Xylazine and fentanyl.
“We want to keep everybody as safe as possible. Unfortunately, we’re not going to stop people from using drugs,” Phillips said. “But, if people are using, we want them to be able to use safely.
“Personally, I would love to get them in recovery,” he said, “but dead people can’t go to recovery.”
Westmoreland County also continues to receive its cut of multibillion-dollar settlements that resolved litigation against drug manufacturers and distributors accused of spreading opioid abuse across the country.
Some of the funds have supported local school districts’ student assistance programs and recovery organizations such as Sage’s Army. Mutual Aid has received funding to stock its ambulances with nitrous oxide, a nonnarcotic pain reliever.
‘Getting the word out’
Coroner Tim Carson pointed to a plethora of community-based prevention efforts and supports that might have had an impact in decreasing those numbers — including support from a team that responds to assist family members after a death by suicide.
There were 13 mock crashes held in the county last year, which Carson said might have had an impact on driving habits. Alcohol was a factor in 30% of fatal traffic crashes.
“I think that helps getting the word out, especially the youths, the dangers of driving and driving or using drugs and not using their seat belts,” he said.
The office’s total caseload in 2024 was 3,158, about twice as many as in 2010. The majority were natural deaths.
- Autopsies were performed in 131 cases. There were 81 additional cases in which toxicology only was performed.