Sharpen awareness, first

Two Boston city councilors want to put police, fire and EMS in charge whenever a discarded needle is found in the city, filing an ordinance that would trigger a full hazmat response to calls reporting discovery of a needle or syringe.

What, the National Guard is too busy?

Yes, contact with used drug paraphernalia can be dangerous. Councilors Stephen Murphy and Timothy McCarthy were inspired to file the ordinance after a little girl was pricked by a discarded syringe at a Hyde Park playground. Her frightened family opted for precautionary HIV treatment, and their ordeal is indeed troubling.

But why not try a public education campaign before mandating the cavalry?

Launch an effort to inform city residents young and old that they should never touch discarded needles or syringes, and what steps they should follow if they come across them.

The Boston Public Health Commission routinely collects “sharps,” and Mayor Marty Walsh said the current city budget will allow for the addition of two commission staffers who will be dedicated to needle cleanup.

“Unless in the case of emergency, it’s not a good use of time for our EMS or our police or our fire to be picking needles up,” Walsh said.

Sometimes the situation will indeed require a full emergency response. In the case of Cadence Epstein, her skin was pricked by the needle, making it a clear medical emergency.

But making that response mandatory is not a responsible use of city resources. Sad to say, if every syringe found on a city beach prompts a crew in hazmat suits this city eventually will go broke.