Oxford Plans Alert System for Children with Special Needs

BY ELLI McHAFFIE
Miami University journalism student

In a coordinated effort between the county, the Oxford Police Department, and the community, the OPD introduced a new initiative that flags the homes of children with special needs in the county dispatch system.

Local parents will soon be able to fill out a voluntary “special needs alert” form online or at the OPD that gives a history of individuals with disabilities so responders know how to interact with them in an emergency.

Oxford Police Lieutenant Lara Fening said the form is a fluid document and can be individualized to suit the family’s needs.

“If a child freezes and will not move, or is having a meltdown in their own way, it is nice to know what kind of way it is so we can work around it and de-escalate the situation,” Fening said.

These efforts were prompted by Oxford families who gathered at Talawanda High School last month to have an open discussion with the OPD about the safety of children with disabilities in the community.

Some parents talked about incidents when their children ran away or locked themselves in the house. Parents said they were worried about how their children might react to the presence of an officer during an emergency.

One parent mentioned that an approaching officer suited in police gear can be a “scary sight” for many kids. The child may be frightened, silent or non-compliant. The information provided by the special needs alert prepares the police before the enter into the situation.

“This is a good piece of information to have because if we know about the situation going into it, we will be better prepared,” said Oxford Police Chief John Jones.

Representatives of the OPD said they want to organize more events to reach out to the population of parents who have children with intellectual or physical impairments in Oxford.

“We want to learn. We’re happy to have this opportunity for community outreach to this population to whom we haven’t done an organized outreach to before,” Jones said.

The special needs alert document should ideally be updated each year and anytime there are changes to a child’s health status. The department plans on contacting families when updates are due. Fening said the initiative will be open to the community in the upcoming weeks.

Fening said the system is not an “end all be all” in an emergency. Reminding dispatchers that the information is in the system is helpful to responders and can be reassuring to callers.

“In the event that you call 911, it is good to communicate that you have a disabled child and make it very clear what your child needs,” Fening said.

The OPD has made previous efforts to meet with students with disabilities in the community to help normalize interaction with first responders. In school, they can become familiarized with police belts, badges and radios.

A variety of officers met on the community park trails to talk to children along with their parents. John Detherage, the Oxford fire chief, encourages parents to bring their children to visit the station.

Matt Wagers, Talawanda school resource officer, attributed the department’s ability to help with the individualized needs of children to the close-knit Oxford community.

“We live in a small town where everyone knows everyone and we have the ability to get people together,” Wagers said. “This way, the department can build relationships with people in the community.”

At the meeting, Detherage talked about lockboxes and “bug-out bags.” An “Oxbox” is a lockbox that fits over your front door and holds your house key. The locks are specific to the fire department and each firetruck and ambulance has a key that opens it. If someone is inside who is unable to open the door in an emergency, the Fire Department can. This system has been in use for several years.

Bug-out bags are a newer innovation. They are brightly colored bags that hold essential items such as medications, medical history and medical equipment for a child. Detherage said it is a good idea to keep one on hand, to avoid being stuck during an emergency without the things a child absolutely needs.

Top photo: Oxford Police Lieutenant Lara Dening and Fire Chief John Detherage discuss the needs of local parents during a meeting March 1 at Talawanda High School. --Photo by Elli McHaffie