Knox County emergency form safeguards residents with mobility issues

MOUNT VERNON – Knox County announced a countywide program to improve the safety of residents with special needs during an emergency.

“It’s an opt-in form for individuals who have a mobility issue or an accessibility issue or a disability,” Mount Vernon City Councilmember Amber Keener said after a press conference on Tuesday. “So that when there is an emergency call, whether that be for a fire or another situation, the first responders will already have access to some information, which could help them.”

She said the idea for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) form came about initially from Krista Allison, who was Ms. Wheelchair Ohio 2022. Allison made her aware of the possibility for the county, which she pursued especially after talking to the Mount Vernon Fire Department and they expressed that their biggest concern many times during a fire is if they have enough manpower to assist if there's a mobility issue. This will give them a heads-up before they’re even on site.

The initiative provides ADA forms to households with people with special needs. The ADA form will allow residents to provide details about any special needs or considerations that first responders should be aware of, as well as any special instructions that would be helpful in an emergency situation, Keener said.

Only first responders and emergency service personnel will have access to the information to ensure that it is kept confidential and used only to enhance the safety of Knox County residents, she said.

“We encourage all residents who have special needs or have a family member with special needs to complete the ADA form as soon as possible,” said 911 director Laura Webster. “By doing so, we can ensure that first responders are better equipped to handle emergencies and can provide the appropriate level of care to all Knox County residents.”

Physical forms will be available at events like First Friday and the Knox County Fair. Residents can find the form online at the city’s website under the "documents" tab. The form can be printed and turned in to the 911 dispatch center or it can be emailed to operations@knoxcountyohio911.com.

Keener said the Knox County website’s 911 page has the form online at co.knox.oh.us/911-dispatch/.

“That form you can actually just fill out online and it will automatically send all the information to dispatch,” she said. “You won’t have to take that second step of emailing it or mailing it.” 

Police and sheriff’s cruisers, fire trucks and EMS vehicles will have physical copies of the form also.

“When my firefighters thought that this was a positive thing that could be a life-saving measure so that they would have more time to respond, I really wanted to get it in place,” Keener said.

For more information, contact Laura Webster at 740-393-6728.