Community partnership highlighted ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day

August 25, 2026 - Smithers, British Columbia
From: Smithers RCMP

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As International Overdose Awareness Day approaches on Aug. 31, Smithers RCMP is highlighting the role strong community partnerships play in connecting people with the right supports.

Wellness checks continue to be a top call for service for Smithers RCMP. These calls can bring officers into contact with people experiencing a range of difficult circumstances, but police are not always the service a person needs.

For Smithers RCMP, knowing community partners and having relationships strong enough to make meaningful connections is an important part of responding to those calls.

One of those partners is Caitlin (Caitie) Zukowski, a Registered Nurse (RN) and an opioid agonist treatment (OAT) nurse who has become a valued support to the detachment and to many of the people officers encounter in the community.

Caitie regularly works with Smithers RCMP to help connect people with health care. Her relationship with the detachment means members know who they can reach out to when someone may need support beyond what police can provide.

“Caitie is one of those community partners our members know they can call,” says Staff Sergeant Ryan Law, Smithers RCMP detachment commander. “She has supported our detachment countless times by connecting people with care and services. We also recognize that a police response is not always what someone needs. Strong relationships with partners like Caitie allow us to work together to make sure people are connected to the right support,” added S/Sgt. Law, Smithers RCMP.

On Aug. 31, Caitie is organizing a local event to recognize International Overdose Awareness Day.

“This year marks ten years since the province declared an emergency surrounding the toxic drug supply. In the last decade, over 18,000 lives across the province have been lost to overdose. Over 1,300 people in the Northern Health region have died,” says Caitie.

“These are our spouses, siblings, parents, children, friends, and coworkers. International Overdose Awareness Day is a day where we can all come together and collectively grieve while finding strength and motivation to keep fighting for those of us still here,” added Caitie.

Caitie says the event is also an opportunity to share information and knowledge about overdose prevention and reducing harm.

“Overdose deaths are preventable, and harm can be mitigated in a number of ways. My goal is that everyone who attends this event leaves with something more than they arrived with - be it hope, closure, or knowledge,” says Caitie. 

For Smithers RCMP, the relationship with Caitie reflects a broader approach to community safety that recognizes no single agency can meet every need. Strong partnerships allow services to draw on each other's expertise and help connect people with the most appropriate support.

International Overdose Awareness Day is recognized annually on Aug. 31.

International Overdose Awareness Day

Date: Aug. 31, 2026
Time: 12pm-3pm
Location: Bovill Square, Smithers, BC

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