WMBF News reports that MARION COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - Law enforcement in Marion County completed an autism emergency response training on Tuesday.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Marion Fire Department, and the Marion Police Department received Autism Law and Emergency Response Training, known as ALERT, to improve communication with people with autism during emergencies.
The ALERT program, run by the Arc of South Carolina, is designed to help both officers arriving on scene and people with autism communicate more effectively during emergencies.
The program provides law enforcement officers with knowledge and skills to effectively interact with people on the autism spectrum.
Training focuses on common characteristics seen with autism spectrum disorder, sensory sensitivity awareness, identification of communication challenges, and de-escalation techniques.
Officers also learn strategies on how to respond to sensory overload, wandering incidents, and crises.