TowerDIRECT ambulances are now equipped with sensory kits designed to help patients with autism feel more comfortable during medical emergencies, an initiative inspired by a local paramedic’s personal experience caring for her autistic son.
The kits, which include noise-canceling headphones, fidget toys, drawing pads and chewable sensory toys, are intended to help patients manage sensory sensitivities in the often loud and unfamiliar environment of an ambulance.
The idea came from TowerDIRECT paramedic Melissa Freed, whose 4-year-old son has autism and additional medical needs. After seeing how sensory tools helped her son during hospital visits, Freed wanted to make similar resources available to patients receiving emergency medical care.
“I came up with the idea of doing some sensory kits for the ambulance because we didn’t have anything, and I have a 4-year-old who is autistic,” Freed said. “I’ve seen him use them in the hospital when he has some medical issues, so I wanted them to be on the truck.”
Freed brought the proposal to TowerDIRECT leadership, where it received immediate support. The kits were placed on approximately 18 ambulances over the summer, covering the organization’s service areas in Berks County and surrounding communities, including portions of Chester County.
Brad Cosgrove, Director and Chief of EMS for TowerDIRECT, said the initiative reflects the organization’s commitment to listening to employees who identify opportunities to improve patient care.
“A lot of the best ideas we have come from our staff, just from the encounters they see or something that’s in their personal life that can bring value to the patients that we take care of,” Cosgrove said.
Each kit contains a variety of items intended to address different sensory needs. Freed said she included chewable sensory toys because her son frequently seeks sensory stimulation through his mouth, while drawing pads provide an activity for children who enjoy scribbling or writing.
The resources are available for both children and adults on the autism spectrum.
Freed said noise-canceling headphones could be particularly beneficial because of the sounds associated with emergency medical care, including sirens, equipment and movement inside an ambulance.
“If you’re on an accident scene and there’s sirens going on, headphones are so valuable to help calm those patients down and make the environment a little bit more safe and secure for them,” Freed said.
Although the kits have only been available for a few months, Freed said she recently learned that the headphones had already been used successfully during a patient encounter. Other items have seen limited use so far, but remain available whenever they are needed.
Cosgrove explained that patients are allowed to keep any items they use from the kits. The practice helps prevent sanitation concerns while also giving patients something familiar to use as they continue receiving medical care.
The kits are intended to be used at the discretion of EMS providers, who have been informed about the available resources and how they can assist patients with sensory sensitivities.
Freed said the tools could be useful during a variety of emergency calls, whether responding to a vehicle accident or transporting a patient experiencing a medical issue at home.
While families of children with autism often carry their own sensory items, Freed noted that unexpected emergencies can occur when those resources are not readily available.
Cosgrove agreed, explaining that patients and families are often facing stressful and unpredictable circumstances when emergency medical personnel arrive.
“I think a lot of the people who have children specifically that are on the spectrum or autism are very prepared, but we’re not running into people on their best day,” Cosgrove said.
He described the kits as an additional safeguard for situations when patients do not have access to their usual comfort items.
Beyond the immediate benefits for patients, the initiative has also attracted interest from other emergency medical service organizations in the area.
Freed said she has received positive feedback from colleagues and personnel at other EMS agencies, including some who are considering adding similar resources to their own ambulances.
Cosgrove said he hopes the idea continues to spread throughout the emergency services community.
“If someone has a good idea, let’s rinse, repeat, and spread it widely because it is a very close-knit community, both the autistic community as well as EMS,” Cosgrove said.
For Freed, the project represents an opportunity to use her personal experiences as a parent to improve the care provided to others facing similar challenges.
The sensory kits are now standard equipment across TowerDIRECT’s ambulance fleet, providing emergency medical personnel with another option to help patients feel safer and more comfortable during stressful situations.