NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — First responders in Newport News are adding a new tool on their ambulances and EMS supervisor vehicles to help patients deal with stress.
Newport News Battalion Chief Mark Kain said the "sensory bags" offer calming tools for patients dealing with extreme stress, including people with autism. Crews began adding the bags to several first responder vehicles last month.
Leaders said the idea came from the Newport News Fire Department’s Public Education office, the Fire Department Citizen Fire Academy Alumni, and Backing the Thin Line organization. An educational specialist at Old Dominion University also provided help for this project.
“If you add in lights and sirens and a bunch of strange people, it can be overwhelming,” explained Kain.
Inside each bag are special tools aimed to help anyone who is dealing with sensory issues.
Kain said, “We have earmuffs. We have glasses, fidget spinners, and other different tactile things to help make it easier and less stressful.”
There is also a communication board that allows people to point to how they are feeling.
“For us, it’s great because sometimes it’s difficult for us to communicate, and if we can relax them and help them communicate, it lets us do our jobs better.”
Kain said the plan is to keep the sensory bags on every ambulance and EMS supervisor vehicle for years to come.
He explained, “If we can help those folks with something to reduce those sensory inputs, it’s going to help calm them down and make it less stressful for them.”