July 11, 2024, WWMT, Kalamazoo, MI: Northern Michigan Fire Department first in state to become Certified Autism Center
A Northern Michigan Fire Department is the first in the state to become a certified Autism Center.
It's an accomplishment that hits close to home for one of the firefighters.
"It feels pretty amazing. To be able to have this for our little community is amazing," said Fife Lake Springfield Fire Department Firefighter Alicia Thayer-Duran.
Alicia's son was diagnosed with autism last year, and as a firefighter at the Fife Lake Springfield Fire Department, she knew she wanted to make a difference in his name and be able to help others like Lucas.
"The biggest importance was I'm a mom of four children, and my middle son Lucas is autistic, so it's really close to home," said Thayer-Duran. "To be able to be trained and provide the community and other children and adults like him with our knowledge, and it's amazing."
Becoming a certified Autism Center allows the fire department to learn best practices when dealing with children or adults with autism. . . .
Some who took the course learned something new.
"I didn't understand, or I didn't really recognize the statistics of autism. The one in 36 in children, I didn't understand that," said Chief Tinker. "I didn't understand the symptoms that autistic children have. The different hand motions, different silence behavior, not wanting to talk when they're in that stage, and it gives us a better understanding of how to approach them how to talk to them and understand them."
"Making a difference as a firefighter is a given," said Thayer-Duran. "We do this job to protect our community, but for me making a difference in my son's name means so much more."

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