Ben's Blue Bags and a mobile sensory hub aim to give first responders tools to better assist people with autism
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Summary
At Hammond City's disabilities retreat, Crown Point fire Captain Matt Kodycek demonstrated Ben's Blue Bags, described a 300-square-foot Mobile Sensory Hub and urged first responders to use low-stimulation tactics and communication aids to de-escalate calls involving people on the autism spectrum. Presenters cited local deployments and fundraising but noted some program claims were presented without citation.
Captain Matt Kodycek, who identified himself as a captain with the Crown Point Fire Department, told attendees at Hammond City's fourth annual mayor's commission on disabilities retreat that he created "Ben's Blue Bags" to help first responders calm and communicate with people on the autism spectrum. Kodycek said the kits contain tactile distractors, a dry-erase communication board and an inventory sheet intended to let responders give sensory items and reduce escalation.
Kodycek said departments in Crown Point and Hammond have been outfitted with bags and that the project has expanded regionally. "Our mission of Ben's Blue Bags is about educating and supporting first responders with these bags that contain sensory stimulation items that hopefully help deescalate an autistic, but even a special needs patient, when they're overstimulated on emergencies," he said. He invited attendees to open sample bags and test the items during a hands-on demonstration.
The presenter described a converted 30-foot trailer he called a Mobile Sensory Hub, funded by grants and local donations, that can be deployed to festivals and large community events so families do not have to leave when a child becomes overstimulated. "We've used it at the county fair," Kodycek said, adding that Hammond City is covering insurance and helping with logistics.
Kodycek and a presenter attributed a 92 percent effectiveness rate for sensory bags to a study led by Dr. Lombardi and colleagues; Kodycek said the study was published in a medical journal but did not provide a citation during the presentation. He also gave numeric counts for distribution (he stated totals such as 1,700 bags in Indiana and 1,300 in Lake County), framed as program-reported figures.
Kodycek urged responders to adopt de-escalation techniques and to recognize nonstandard signals such as repetitive behaviors or muffled vocalizations. He framed search-and-rescue guidance around the reality that people with autism may hide in closets or under beds during emergencies and said responders should check such locations. The presentation included a short video and attendee practice with the kits.
The presentation emphasized local deployment and volunteer support; Kodycek said training and resupply are ongoing and asked departments to consider adopting the kits and the Mobile Sensory Hub model. After the presentation, attendees were offered the chance to discuss and test the equipment during a scheduled break.
Sources and provenance: the account is based on the presenter's remarks and demonstration at the Hammond City retreat. Program effectiveness claims and distribution totals were reported by presenters during the session and were not independently cited in the meeting record. The article does not assert independent verification of those numbers.
