‘Helpful Information for First Responders’ form available

By Melissa R. Collum

The Crawford County Caregiver Coalition has implemented the ‘Helpful Information for First Responders’ form program. The form, which is available on the Crawford Co. Sheriff’s Facebook page, at the Crawford Co. Sheriff’s office, and by contacting the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Crawford County is a resource designed to assist and prepare individuals and caregivers for an emergency event.
First responders are able to give the best possible care when they have access to the greatest amount of information. The Helpful Information for First Responders (HIFR) is designed to assist in this task. When completed, the HIFR is placed on file with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department and in the case of an emergency the information will be provided to first responders via the county 911 system. The form can be seen in all counties that have access to the same 911 program, which can help across county lines. Frequent travel can be added to form so surrounding counties could be aware of essential information.
If you can answer YES to any of these five questions, then you are encouraged to fill out the form.
- Do you support someone who may have difficulty handling an emergency or communicating with first responders or law enforcement?
- Would this individual need another person to care for them in the event that their caregiver became incapacitated unexpectedly?
- Would you expect him/her to have difficulty with any of the following: unexpected strangers approaching them; sirens; emergency vehicle lights; uniformed individuals; other types of sensory stimuli; or intrusions into their personal space preferences.
- Are there certain words, actions or items that assist him/her to feel calm or safe?
- Does the individual have life threatening allergies, an alternate medical decision-maker, the tendency to wander, or an alternate form of communication?
If you need assistance filling out the form the ADRC can help. You can contact the Crawford Co. Sheriff’s Department non-emergency line (608-326-0241) or the ADRC (608-326-0235) to obtain a form and/or get more information.
The HIFR project is sponsored by the Crawford County Caregivers Collation who is thankful for the support of the Crawford Co. Sheriff’s Office, The ADRC, Unity, The Crawford Co. Department of Health and Human Services and other collation members.