The Paoli Fire Company has become the first fire company in Pennsylvania to receive the Certified Autism Center™ designation. This designation is granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), which means the public-facing staff and firefighters at Paoli Fire Company have received training through IBCCES to better understand and assist autistic individuals or those with sensory sensitivities. The program was designed to provide staff with scenario-based suggestions to de-escalate and communicate effectively with individuals who need their assistance.

“We are very excited to achieve certification as a Certified Autism Center™ because we feel it is important to be able to expand our capabilities in managing patients with special needs. We often encounter patients with special needs who require our care and assistance, and having the right tools and training to be able to do so efficiently and safely means a lot to us. Our top priority is ensuring that we can provide the best care possible to our patients,” said Ashley Neubauer, Paoli Fire Company’s ALS co-coordinator.

Paoli Fire Company is a combination volunteer/career-staffed fire department in Paoli, PA, which also provides Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance service.

“We are truly excited to partner with the Paoli Fire Company to further build a safe and inclusive community. This designation shows their commitment to providing the best care for autistic individuals and ensuring they can respond appropriately in critical and emergency situations,” said Myron Pincomb, IBCCES Board Chairman.

For more than 20 years, IBCCES has been the industry leader in cognitive disorder training and certification for education, healthcare, first responders, law enforcement, and corporate professionals around the globe. IBCCES provides evidence-based training and certification programs created in conjunction with clinical experts and autistic self-advocates in order to provide professionals serving individuals with cognitive disorders a better understanding of what these disorders are, industry best practices, and the latest research in these areas.

IBCCES also created CertifiedAutismCenter.com, as a free online resource for parents that lists certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) requirements.