MENTOR, Ohio — Tommy Newman, 9, has autism and is nonverbal. He uses a speech device to talk. ​

Tommy loves sticks and likes to sweep. Alongside his mom, Jenna, he likes to make what are called sensory bags to help other children like him communicate and interact better with first responders.

What You Need To Know

  • Heroes Helping Those with Special Needs is an organization that specializes in teaching safety to those with special needs

  • It was started by a mom who has a son with autism

  • They make sensory bags to help children with autism and other special needs communicate and interact better with first responders

  • Pre-pandemic, they would host in-person programs at police and fire departments that consisted of hands-on safety activities like learning to stop, drop and roll

“The first responders need to know how to approach them. You know, what's going to help and what's not going to help. If a police officer is just screaming and screaming, screaming, it's not going to help. But if they can calmly realize that, 'Oh, wait a minute. This person might have autism. I have to approach them in a different way,'” said Newman.  

Through her organization Heroes Helping Those with Special Needs, she focuses on teaching safety to children with special needs.

“I see it as a two-way street. We can give all the training we want to first responders, but if we're not teaching our kids as well, how to interact with them and what's appropriate — putting your hands up, stopping when they say stop and whatever the case may be — then the training is kind of pointless,” said Newman.

Pre-pandemic, Newman would host a 30-minute program at local police and fire departments called “STICKS” which stands for Superhero First Responders Teaching Safety Is Critical to Kids with Special Needs.

“Anywhere from stop drop and roll to calling 911 to, you know, what is a firefighter? We try and do a hands-on activity. For instance, if we're doing stop drop and roll the firefighters, we'll teach them how to stop, drop, and roll,” said Newman.

While those in-person programs are on hold, Newman has been focusing more on the sensory bag side of her organization.

She and Tommy load up the bags with items like headphones, fidget toys and whiteboards — all items that can benefit children with special needs in the event they need help from first responders.  

“The headphones — obviously, if there's a fire and emergency, whatever the case may be, the noise level for these kids are way higher than for us. So, you put the headphones on them and that can help calm them down instantly along with the fidget toys if they feel anxious, they can give them a toy. And hopefully, that will help to just kind of calm them down and relax them a little bit,” said Newman.

With a goal of having all police and fire department vehicles equipped with a sensory bag, she and Tommy drop them off at local departments. Recently, they dropped two bags off at the Willoughby Police Department.

Police Captain Phil Smith said these bags are needed and is grateful.

“Anything that we can get that can help us? I mean, you know, if we can relate to these kids and get you know, we're here to help them not to harm them. And if these things can help us do our job, it's great,” said Smith.

Newman has donated sensory bags locally and nationwide. She has plans to establish a nonprofit soon. She hosts fundraisers often and is currently sponsored by Clearview Soft Wash in Mentor. For more information on Heroes Helping Those with Special Needs, you can visit their Facebook page.