Flying Point Foundation Distributes Autism 'GoBags' to Police, Emergency Workers

Last April, when the Flying Point Foundation for Autism hosted a first responder training conference, keynote speaker Deputy Chief Thomas Buckley, statewide coordinator for the Rhode Island Autism and Law Enforcement Education Coalition, showed special kits designed to help those with autism through emergencies. Executive Director and founder Kim Covell, thought the initiative was a very cool idea.

So, too, did PattyTuzzolo, a member of the foundation’s executive board and East Quogue resident.

Her daughter Anna has autism and has been a participant in the Water Mill-based foundation’s programs since its inception in 2008. Recently, the foundation began distributing FPF GoBags to an array of local emergency responder agencies, local police departments and ambulance companies. Anna could use her community service time to pack the bags.

Each GoBag has items that may help allay sensory stresses inherent in an emergency situation. Emergencies can be challenging for people with autism. Each GoBag has items that may help allay sensory stresses inherent in an emergency situation.

The GoBags include a whiteboard and marker, which may assist with communication, especially for those who are nonverbal; headphones to block an overload of noise; and sunglasses to dim flashing lights. Also included are several fidget toys, which may come in handy as distraction devices and help alleviate some anxiety. The bag also contains a card with key information reminding emergency responders how to interact with individuals with autism.

“As the parent of an adult with autism, I have always been aware that any minor emergency involving my son could go off the rails in a heartbeat,” said Covell. Making sure emergency responders have the tools and training they need to help people with autism is a goal, but Covell underscored, “Our greatest hope is that the GoBags don’t get used.”

Tuzzolo put together 150 bags, but Covell expects demand to exceed that and promised that they will get bags to any agency that asks for them. The ideal is having one in every police squad car.

Covell credited East Hampton Town Police Sergeant Ken Alversa and Southampton Village Police Officer Tiffany Lubold with helping to coordinate the distribution.

Said Lubold, “We appreciate the thoughtfulness of the GoBags and the information they bring for emergency first responders to help deal with situations that may involve an individual with autism. I believe they will be very useful and can definitely assist first responders on future calls for service. This is how the community helps each other, and it’s great to be part of.”

Alversa agreed. “The East Hampton Town Police Department is proud to accept this donation from the Flying Point Foundation for Autism,” he said. “These Autism GoBags will be a great addition to our patrol vehicles. This donation will not only support the police department but betters the community we serve as a whole.”

Both Southampton and East Hampton town police departments have asked for a bag for all squad cars.

Southampton’s ambulance companies and the Southampton Fire Department have also received the GoBags.

“Having responded to emergencies that have involved a person with autism, there is no doubt that items in the GoBag will be helpful in future calls of a similar nature,” noted Chris Brenner, a member of Southampton Village Volunteer Ambulance and former chief and a member of the Southampton Fire Department, in a release announcing the bag distribution. “They delivered them to both fire and ambulances. We have been given the tools to help and it’s is a great program and we hope to raise awareness of autism and how to deal with people who have it. It is a great program.”

The effort came full circle, in a way. Items for the bags were purchased using a donation from the Southampton Village and Town police benevolent associations. “Using the donation for this purpose was an obvious choice,” noted Covell.

“The members of the Southampton Village PBA and the Southampton Town PBA are thrilled to support such an amazing organization like the Flying Point Foundation for Autism with the monies raised from our 2022 charity cornhole tournament,” said Lubold.

To further enhance the collaboration with emergency responders, the foundation has also distributed window “clings” that can alert them that there may be special challenges to emergencies at a particular house. They’ve also got special seat belt wraps designed for the same purpose. The clings are available to any family who requests them. A limited number of seatbelt wraps with an autism alert printed on them are also available. Email hello@fpf4autism.org.

Covell, who is an assistant editor for The Express News Group, started the Flying Point Foundation for Autism with recreational programs for children with autism. A week-long summer day camp for the children and their siblings and peers started and, as its success grew, it expanded. More programs have been added, Covell explained: “We want to build community awareness and outreach.”

The foundation also offers scholarships and teacher grants for a graduating senior with autism going to college or vocational school and for a typical student who has shown a commitment to the autism community through volunteerism.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is described as a “developmental disorder” because symptoms generally appear in the first two years of life. It is known as a “spectrum” disorder, because there is wide variation in the type and severity of symptoms people experience.