A new program allows police to access the personal information of children with autism during an emergency
Edward Sun, 10, tried on a MedicAlert bracelet for the first time Saturday.
“Do you have any other colours of these?” he asked, pointing to the ID bracelet used by police and first responders to identify people in an emergency.
Edward looked at photos of the ID bracelets before settling on a bright red one.
He and more than 125 other children with autism will now have a free MedicAlert bracelet to identify them in an emergency situation, thanks to a new program called Connect Protect.
Edmonton police will be able to use the bracelets to access a child’s address, emergency contact and medical information in an emergency situation.
“With that bracelet and that ID number on the back of the bracelet, it’s a valuable resource for us which helps us get that information we’re looking for and getting that person home safe,” Const. Bruce McGregor said.
A safety net for kids who wander
Amie Packer knows all too well what it’s like to have a child wander away from home.
Her two sons, Eli, 6, and Ari, 4, both have autism. They have escaped from home several times by crawling underneath their fence or running out the back door.
“No matter how many locks we put on our doors or how much supervision we have, they are finding ways to escape,” Packer said.
She said Ari once ran away and ended up several blocks away from home.
“It was the scariest moment of my life,” she said.
If a stranger tries to help Packer’s children, her sons might not be able to verbalize how to get home or what they need in an emergency, she said. But she said she’s confident the MedicAlert bracelets will help change that.
“This way I know that in the short-term if someone finds them, there’s that little bit of a safety net,” Packer said.
There are more than 18,000 families in the Edmonton area affected by autism, according to Autism Edmonton.
MedicAlert bracelets have also been used by seniors with Alzheimer’s, dementia or brain injuries in cities across Canada.
