New Brunswick, N.J.-based Children's Specialized Hospital has launched a new website aimed at advancing safety education and injury prevention for people with disabilities.
The website, Living Safely Online Center for Safety, has safety tools, resources, guidance documents, public service announcements and discussion templates that help facilitate conversation between disabled residents, community caregivers and emergency response teams, according to an Oct. 21 press release.
"More than 60 million adults in the United States have some type of disability, but public safety resources usually aren't designed with disabled individuals in mind — and emergency responders typically aren't trained in recognizing and addressing the safety needs of disabled people," said Jill Harris, assistant vice president of the research center and coordinator of the autism program at Children's Specialized. "As a result, people with disabilities often aren't prepared in safety situations and are more prone to injury. Ultimately, our goal is to change that narrative and lay the groundwork for a national safety coalition that prioritizes people with disabilities."