Episode 11: Navigating Crisis: Autism Safety and Emergency Preparedness

So, if you will, maybe, John, if I could start with you, if you could just speak a little bit to what some of those challenges are as it pertains to our population.

Yeah, Mike, and again, thanks for having me.

I think one of the critical components that we have or challenges for our population during emergencies is communication.

It really becomes challenging having our individuals that we serve and our staff having that effective communication.

But that comes into preparedness.

And that's what we have to constantly do.

We have to train.

We have to run through our drills.

So in the event of an emergency, it could be very stressful.

So imagine having to communicate during that stressful time.

And some of our individuals... don't communicate.

They need assistance.

They need prompting.

So it's really important for our staff to develop that rapport with them.

And it could be something simply as a nod of the head or a gesture.

You know, we have to go this way.

So that's the unique, I think, challenges that we face today is our communication that we have during events of an emergency.

It's so important that you started there, and I think the deputy sheriff will agree that one of the most – one of the central issues around autism especially is difficulties in communication, sometimes idiosyncratic communication, meaning – The kind of communication that only the person understands.

And that can be, of course, you know, very difficult and sometimes challenges reading faces.

And so much more.

Can I call you Chris? I think it's not.

Thank you, Chris.

I think I took you off guard.

I just think I'll stumble if I say deputy sergeant over and over again.

So, you know, if that's okay.