City of Bloomington Promotes Special Needs Registry for First Responders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 20, 2012

For more information, please contact:
Katie Herron, Chair of Council for Community Accessibility, City of Bloomington, 333.2074
Barbara McKinney, Human Rights Attorney, City of Bloomington, 349.3429, mckinneb@bloomington.in.gov
Craig Brenner, Community & Family Resources Special Projects Coordinator, City of Bloomington, 349.3471, brennerc@bloomington.in.gov
Brian Robinson, Interim Communications Director, City of Bloomington, 349.3406, robinsonb@bloomington.in.gov


City of Bloomington Promotes Special Needs Registry for First Responders

Bloomington, IN -- The City of Bloomington and Monroe County encourage individuals with disabilities to sign up with the Special Needs Registry for First Responders, the community's voluntary emergency registration system. The Bloomington and Monroe County Special Needs Registry allows first responders to access disability-specific information easily during emergency situations.

In the event of an emergency, information provided by residents lets emergency personnel know about visual, hearing, mobility impairments, dementia and developmental disabilities for those who have signed up with the registry.

"Anything that can help emergency personnel provide the highest level of care as quickly as possible is a big win for everyone," said Mayor Mark Kruzan. "This really is a great initiative with positive community impact."

Individuals with disabilities or family members who would like to be included may register at http://bloomington.in.gov/specialneedsdispatch.

The registration form may be printed from the website, completed and mailed to Bloomington/Monroe County Special Needs Registry, 220 E. 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN 47401. Alternative formats of the registration form are also available: paper, large print, Braille and Spanish language forms may be obtained by calling 349-3429 or e-mailing human.rights@bloomington.in.gov. Anyone needing assistance completing the form may use the same contact information.

After registration, a City representative will contact registrants every six months to ensure the information is up to date.

"This registry is an extremely important step toward improving effective emergency preparedness for individuals with disabilities in Monroe County," said Katie Herron, Chair of the City of Bloomington Council for Community Accessibility. "Information gathered will allow first responders to maximize the effectiveness and quality of care provided. Having disability-specific information prior to arriving at the scene of an emergency could mean the difference between life and death."

For more information, please contact Craig Brenner at 349.3471 or brennerc@bloomington.in.gov.

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