Responders learning how to recognize special needs
Dutchess County Marc Molinaro got a Facebook message recently from the mother of a child with autism, letting him know how pleased she was with the way first responders and law-enforcement officials handled a situation involving her son.
Although Molinaro said he doesn’t know if those responders participated in the county’s autism training program in 2017, he said such training is an integral part of his effort to change the way individuals, businesses, organizations and communities relate to people with special needs.
The county will host a second training session from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday at the Department of Emergency Response, 392 Creek Road, Poughkeepsie.
The training is open to lawenforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and security guards, and it continues the county’s “Think-DIFFERENTLY” initiative — promoting a supportive environment for residents with special needs.
“One in 68 children are diagnosed on the autism spectrum,” said Molinaro, whose daughter Abigail, lives on the spectrum. “We’ve seen the extreme tragedy
when responders aren’t given the tools that they need to identify and appropriately respond to an individual living on the spectrum.”
In 2017, Arizona police tackled and seriously injured a 14-year-old boy after mistaking his mannerisms for signs of drug use. In another incident that same year, Florida police shot and wounded the unarmed caretaker of an autistic man after they mistook a toy truck the autistic man was holding for a gun.
“Incidents like that are obviously alarming, concerning and tragic,” Molinaro said.
Molinaro, who is seeking the state Republican nomination to run for governor, said the purpose of the training program is to teach participants how to identify the types of behaviors someone on the autism spectrum might exhibit and how to react and respond
in a way that de-escalates the situation.”
“When a responder responds, it is in that very instant that the entire situation is defined,” Molinaro said. “Our goal is to make sure responders have the tools to appropriately respond so the situation doesn’t escalate.”
Leading the Dutchess County training seminar on Friday will be Bill Cannata, coordinator of the Autism and Law Enforcement Education Center, and Jimmy Donohue, a lieutenant with the Pensacola, Fla., Police Department.
Both men have children on the autism spectrum.
Cannata is a captain in the Westwood, Mass., Fire Department, with more 35 years of experience as a firefighter, who has trained firefighters across the country to be better prepared to rescue people with autism in an emergency. His efforts have gained national attention from NBC’s “Today” show and Autism Speaks, among others.
Donahue created the
“Take Me Home” Program, a database that allows those who are unable to speak or properly identify themselves to police officers to register with a photo, physical description and contact information so first responders can provide special assistance that might be required when contact with a person with autism occurs.
First responders attending the training will learn to identify the characteristics and behavior of a person on the autism spectrum, how to effectively communicate with those individuals, and how to respond to an emergency involving people on the spectrum, as well as how to build relationships with the autism spectrum disorder community; and how to utilize special tactics, rescue techniques and patient care options.
Preregistration is required, as seating is limited; first responders can register online at www.research.net/r/ZFNDK3N.
For more information call (845) 486-2080.