Auburn, Massachusetts – Firefighter Lance Mason, a member of the Autism and Law Enforcement Education Coalition will be holding a program on “Fire Safety for Children with Autism” at 6 p.m. on Feb. 24 at Auburn High School.
The telegram.com reports that the program will be hosted by the Auburn Fire and Rescue Department.
Firefighter Mason will be discussing the role of the caregiver in preparing an autistic individual for emergency situations.
“Individuals with autism can present many challenges to first responders,”
“An individual may look normal, there are no visual indicators for autism — but, whether high or low functioning, he or she will likely not follow commands.”
Firefighter Mason’s son, William, 12, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) 9 years ago.
“My wife and I had suspected there was something different when William was very young. As he got older, he wasn’t talking. The doctors said boys progress slower than girls, then did a hearing analysis. Then our paediatrician suspected autism and we got the diagnosis.”
William has made a huge impact on families and first responders throughout New England, New York and beyond.
Firefighter Mason states that:
“Families of a child with autism are seven times more likely to call 911 than parents of typical children,”
For information on the upcoming Auburn fire safety program, contact Assistant Fire Chief Glenn Johnson at (508) 832-7800.
The full article by Ellie Oleson on the telegram.com website can be found here