Sumpter supports risk reduction program to help vulnerable people

An autistic child ran away from home and was hiding from police who were trying to find him. Police drove up and down the streets, playing the child’s favorite song on a loudspeaker. The child came out of hiding and was rescued.
This is a story that was told by Sumpter Township Fire Lt. Jamie Goode to the township board at its regular meeting on March 23 via zoom.
Lt. Goode was illustrating what could happen with the new Community Risk Reduction Program he had laid out for his community of Sumpter, which has already been picked up by FEMA, is to be presented to the New York Police Department, and has been presented to 48 fire and police chiefs in Eastern Pennsylvania.
Lt. Goode prepared the program as research for his class at Fire Staff and Command School and it grew from there. He has talked to Van Buren Public Schools and Van Buren Township Fire Chief is interested. He said he will talk to Belleville, as well.
The program provides training for the police and fire departments for responding to incidents involving the special-needs community. It also includes working with the special needs families to pre-plan responses for emergency incidents. Also included is getting free smoke and CO detectors and helping residents install them, if necessary.
He said locally he will go around to families in their homes and fill out a page of names, favorite toys and TV shows, and triggers. He said this information would remain private, but would be put up into the computer aided dispatch system for a proximity alert for police and fire runs.
Lt. Goode said a custom ID card for the individual, with a copy for the caregiver, with contact information is included, along with highly reflected stickers for to mark Safe Rooms from inside and outside.
Sensory kits are also a part of the program and they will be carried in police and fire vehicles. They carry earmuffs to blot out noise, dark sunglasses if light is a problem, and sensory fidget toys to occupy the hands, because if you occupy the hands, you occupy the mind, he said.
He also wants to help families build escape plans and safe places to meet in case of an emergency.
The start-up cost would be $1,200. He said a donation of $350 from Harbor Freight reduced the fidget box prices down to $50 a box and there are 20 toys in each box. Man hours would be up to 15 hours a week or 60 hours a month.
Sumpter Public Safety Director/Police Chief Eric Luke said he saw Goode’s presentation at the School of Staff and Command after he had done research on autistic individuals and, “It was great.”
Chief Luke said first responders are not trained enough with dealing with autism. He said now Goode does training through FEMA and other state organizations.
“To me it’s a no-brainer if it deals with personal safety,” Luke said.
Board members were unanimously enthusiastic about the project and passed a motion in favor of supporting it.
Clerk Esther Hurst said they could apply to Burnham Flower, their insurance company, for a risk reduction grant.
In other business at the March 23 meeting, the board:
• Approved on a 5-2 vote, Trustee Tim Rush’s request to have Supervisor Tim Bowman form a committee to look into how the township newsletter is being done, with nay votes from Trustee Peggy Morgan and Treasurer Jim Clark;
• Approved HR Coordinator and Payroll Services through ADP, due to urgent replacement services of vacancy, at an annual unlimited cost contract of $55,000, plus $6,000 one-time implementation from Foster Thomas, contingent on approval of attorney of contract language. The action is estimated to save $58,000 a year;
• Approved on a 5-2 vote the extension of Public Safety Director/Police Chief Luke’s contract for three years, holding the same salary and benefits as of this date of $103,376 annually, with Trustee Morgan and Treasurer Clark voting no;
• Approved Treasurer Clark and Deputy Treasurer Toni Clark attending the April 19-21 virtual conference and April 12-13 virtual pre-conference classes of the Michigan Township Association at a total cost of training at $516;
• Approved, with regret, the retirement of Tim Armstrong from the fire department, effective March 7, after 22 years of service. Fire Chief Januszyk said all he wanted was his helmet, so he gave it to him;
• Approved Deputy Supervisor/Finance Director Michelle Cole to attend the MTA virtual conference at a cost of $127, plus the Board Authorities and Roles pre-conference virtual class for $99, for a total of $227;
• Approved the supervisor’s reappointment of Maria Beaudrie to the Zoning Board of Appeals with a term to expire March 10, 2024;
• Approved Parks and Recreation Commission’s request for a park clean-up day and recognition of International Earth Day at Banotai Park on April 24. There will also be a presentation/discussion of the new butterfly habitat. A representative of the state Department of Natural Resources will be attending;
• Approved on a 5-2 vote adjusting the submission deadline for items for the township board agenda to be in the clerk’s office by Monday at noon, one week before the regularly scheduled board meeting, with Trustee Morgan and Treasurer Clark voting no;
• Approved the 2021-22 township budget;
• Approved township liability and insurance coverage by Burnham Flower at a cost of $106,192.75;
• Approved having Clerk Hurst or her designee as the day-to-day oversight person for emergency-need Human Resources responsibilities; and
• Went into closed session to get an update on the pending Futernick litigation.