Learn to Live Safely
This online training module helps emergency responders and other public safety professionals better understand sensory and communication differences. Building this awareness helps improve interactions and safety for people with diverse needs.
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Living Safely EmPower Kits
This educational training introduces EmPower Kits, developed by Children’s Specialized Hospital through partial funding from the Division of Disability Services, New Jersey Department of Human Services.
The EmPower Kits are designed to support people with communication differences and needs, enhancing safety and communication during interactions and emergency situations. The training is open to everyone, and is particularly useful for police, fire, rescue, and other safety professionals. For those taking this training as part of their practice, there is a pre-test and post-test to complete as a part of this training. This training video includes references to picture communication sheets that are part of the EmPower Kits.
Helpful Tools for Communication in Emergency Situations
- Personal Information
- Medical, Mental Health, and Disability
- Police and Law Enforcement
- Fire Safety
- General Communication
This training equips you with practical tools and knowledge to support people with diverse communication needs, supporting safety and understanding in every interaction.
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Ready to Learn to Live Safely
The Ready to Learn to Live Safely Instructor’s Guide is a practical tool for teaching safety skills to learners of all abilities. Designed for use by educators, therapists, and other professionals, the guide supports inclusive instruction on topics such as emergency preparedness, poison prevention, internet safety, and more.
Each safety resource from the Living Safely with Disabilities and Special Health Needs Online Center for Safety is available in multiple formats including text only, text with images, audio only, picture story, and narrated picture story to meet diverse learning needs and preferences. The guide provides recommendations and strategies for implementing these lessons to support application and generalization of safety skills. Piloted in New Jersey schools, the guide has demonstrated positive outcomes in knowledge and practice. It can be used in classrooms, clinical settings, and community programs to build safety awareness and support lifelong learning for students with and without disabilities.
