Inquest into UVic students drug death hears from 911 operator who took the call [Video]

The inquest into the drug death of an 18-year-old University of Victoria student last year heard testimony Friday from the 911 operator who handled the call.

Sidney McIntyre-Starko died of fentanyl poisoning in January 2024 after she and a friend collapsed in a university dorm room after consuming drugs found in a box of coolers a friend found on a street corner.

Kylie Alfano was a call taker for BC Emergency Health Services at the time, and working out of a call centre in Vancouver when the call came in.

According to audio of the call, it took Alfano and the student who had dialed 911 more than three minutes to determine the location to deploy paramedics.

The inquest heard that call takers are trained to determine an exact location before beginning triage.

The student who had called for help had reported that her two friends were turning blue and …