BROOKSVILLE, Fla. — A paramedicine program through Hernando County Fire Rescue is working to curb addiction.

What You Need To Know

  • Hernando County Fire Rescue's Paramedicine Program is helping local residents fight their addictions

  • The program is part of Florida’s Coordinated Opioid Recovery Effort, or CORE, which works to help patients suffering from opioid use disorder
  • Launched in September 2024, the program currently has two county paramedics on staff
  • Paramedics travel to patients' homes on a daily basis to help bring them the necessary care they need

The program is part of Florida’s Coordinated Opioid Recovery Effort, or CORE, which is working to provide local residents help with fighting their addictions.

At Fire Station Five, community paramedic Shayanne Newmann gets ready to go on a call.

“It’s a relatively new program, but we created it from scratch,” Newmann said.

But this is no ordinary trip she is making — Newmann is part of Hernando County Fire Rescue’s Paramedicine Program. 

“We get to know them and get to know their goals and aspirations and things that they want for their future,” Newmann said. “We can also connect them with any additional resources that we have in our pockets to help them achieve the things that they want to achieve that they may have never thought were possible in their addiction.”

The program is helping patients who are suffering from an opioid use disorder.

“We see people on their worst day of their lives,” Newmann said. “So, if I can do anything to make it a little bit better, then I’ve accomplished my job.”

Newmann is one of two paramedics on the team, joined by fellow paramedic John Kinzie. While small, the team is working hard to change the community’s perspective of addiction.

“A lot of people think that addiction is a choice, and it’s really not,” said Kinzie. “At that point in their lives, they’ve lost the ability to choose whether they want to use or drink or whatever. It’s kind of taken over. We give them an opportunity to navigate that to work out of that.”

The program was launched last September, and Kinzie has high hopes for its development. They’ll continue to work closely with local hospitals and others in health care, like Baycare.

“Alleviate the burden on emergency rooms for non-emergent conditions,” said Kinzie. “Helping patients with chronic conditions at home, maybe who are by themselves and aren’t getting by quite as well as they used to. Just general community outreach.”

People can learn more about Hernando County’s Paramedicine Program or learn how to get help by calling 352-540-0799 or by sending an email to John Kinzie at JKinzie@HernandoCounty.us.