Something as simple as a sticker can now be a game-changer for first responders.
The Tampa Police Department and Tampa Fire Rescue came together Monday to unveil stickers they developed to identify specific special needs. "Sometimes when first responders respond to the scene, we’re not always quite sure what we’re responding to," said Tampa police interim chief Ruben Delgado.
City of Tampa ADA coordinator Raquel Pancho likens it to the medical alert.
"For people who have diabetes and are acting unresponsive or like they might be intoxicated, when the first responder sees these on the windows, they’ll know that there’s probably a diabetic emergency," she said.
Recent police cases highlight the importance of the decals. Last September, police in Utah shot a 13-year-old boy on the autism spectrum after his mother called 911 asking for help because he was having a mental health episode.