Tache Fire Department adds sensory equipment to help at sensitive emergency locations – SteinbachOnline.com

The Tache Fire Department has added new equipment that they say will help at some of the most sensitive emergency locations.

Fire Chief Allan Rau says firefighters face a variety of situations and people when responding to emergency calls and the addition of a new sensor kit will be of great benefit.

According to the Tache Fire Department, the sensory kit is designed to assist neurodivergent individuals at emergency scenes who have been diagnosed with sensory disorders, intellectual disabilities or learning disabilities such as ADHD, dyslexia or Tourette syndrome.

The kit includes items to help regulate sensory input, including noise-cancelling headphones, sunglasses to mitigate light sensitivity, fidget spinners, and snaps for tactile relief. In addition, the kit includes Picture Exchange communication cards and notebooks to facilitate communication.

Rau says these tools are essential for calming people who are exposed to sensory overload from bright lights, equipment noise and the hustle and bustle of the job site. For example, a person may become very anxious due to overwhelming sensory input, particularly in response to an emergency situation. By reducing the amount of stimulation, firefighters may be able to help calm the affected person. Additionally, a nonverbal person might express their needs using picture cards or notepads.

He points out that it is also a common misconception that neurodivergent people are always accompanied by someone who can support them. However, Rau says it’s important to recognize that her caregiver could be among the injured and unable to help in an emergency situation.

Rau says the idea for this sensory kit came from her public educator, who was looking for ways to help people who are stressed at an emergency scene. He says some fire departments in the United States use sensory kits and it has been suggested to try this locally.

“She went out, researched, bought it, presented it to me and wondered if we wanted to integrate a kit like this,” explains Rau. “And then we presented it to the leadership and everyone was really into it.”

Rau says he knows how valuable a kit like this can be, recalling that last spring there was a call from a person with sensory issues. At that time, they had no opportunity to calm the individual or distract them from the situation, says Rau. He notes that their fire department was 100 percent on board with getting the kit.

“They love it,” he says. “They think it’s great, especially since we had that one call where it would have been a valuable asset to us.”

Rau says minimal training was required; Mostly it’s just a matter of educating firefighters about the options available in different situations.

According to Ray, putting together the sensory kit was inexpensive, costing less than $100. He notes that it’s already housed in their pump truck in Landmark, which answers almost every call in the community. Rau says they may consider incorporating one of these kits into each of their pumper trucks in the future.

“(I’m) just overwhelmed with gratitude for the team,” Rau said. “We’ve implemented a number of new things in the last few years and they’ve embraced them 100 percent, and I’m so proud of them for wanting to help community members in more ways than just applying water.” They’re also looking for opportunities to protect the mental health of the individual.

With files from Adi Loewen