Saving Lives, One Response at a Time

March 24, 2023 - Phillipe Sallade, Director of Training

Saving Lives, One Response at a Time

By: Phillipe Sallade, Director of Training

In the spirit of national Red Cross month, Cornerstone highlights the fantastic work of first responders and those who share a mission to help others in distress. As an organization that serves clients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it’s essential to understand the increased risk associated with ASD. Cornerstone has looked to the Red Cross and other organizations to give us the tools to support our clients, regardless of the situation.

According to the Colombia University Irving Medical Center, individuals with autism are three times more likely to experience death caused by injury than the general population. 80% of deaths caused by injury to autistic individuals are due to suffocation, asphyxiation, and drowning. Those numbers reflect the reality many of our clients’ families face daily.

Knowing this, Cornerstone has worked with local first responders to provide CPR/First Aid/AED training to Cornerstone staff across central Indiana. Together with the Red Cross and other like-minded professionals, Cornerstone is better prepared to address any emergency that might present itself. We hope this month you share in the Red Cross’s mission of being a community that “…prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies…”.