As the father of a now adult son with autism Dennis Debbaudt has experienced firsthand interactions between first responders and people with autism.
He’s travelled all over the world training police, firefighters, EMS, and 911 operators on how to communicate and interact with people on the spectrum.
“You just need a little bit more time to get your point across, you'll see that as a common thread with folks with autism, and it's important that policing and public safety professionals have a sense of what they may experience,” said Debbaudt, an autism safety curriculum specialist.
According to the CDC, about one in 36 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
It looks different on everyone and can range from someone who lives completely independent to those that require caretakers and significant support.
Debbaudt says the biggest thing that will help public safety officials is knowing if the person their interacting with has autism.
“Disclosure, in a word, is your friend. When there is no disclosure, it can be getting in the way of fair treatment,” said Debbaudt. “It's not that you have to carry a banner around. It's knowing when to share that knowledge with other people, to help you and to help them out.”
There are several ways that information can be disclosed ranging from the person telling the first responder or handing them a card with details, to having information on file with local enforcement or filling out an invisible disability disclosure form with the Wisconsin DOT.
From there, Debbaudt says it’s a matter of first responders giving that person time and space.
“It's the social space you give understanding the meaning of the language that's being used between two people. It may take a little longer, might take a couple of runs through, but it's still worth it,” said Debbaudt.
Debbaudt held four training sessions over two days in Vilas County. It included different scenarios first responders might encounter and best practices.
“I can tell you what's going to happen, what's going to go on, what the risks are. I just can't tell you when it's going to happen, but it's going to happen,” Debbaudt told the class the Manitowish Waters Fire Station.
Debbaudt was brought in by the Scholl Community Impact Group in Winchester which provides equine therapy.
