Niagara County  Sheriff Promotes Disabilities Response Decals to Help Communication During Emergency

The Niagara County Sheriff’s Office is taking extra steps to help First Responders identify residents who may have difficulty communicating or understanding directions during an emergency. Our new Disabilities Response Decals may be displayed on your residence or vehicle to alert First Responders upon arrival.

To assist First Responders, residents are encouraged to display the decals near a front door or window of their residence, and/or on the rear driver-side window of a vehicle. This program is ideal for households with a member who is blind or deaf, has autism, Down Syndrome, Alzheimer’s Disease, mental disabilities, or other communication disorders.

Sheriff Filicetti stated, "These decals will be helpful for first responders to ensure the appropriate response when dealing with individuals that may have limited capabilities when interacting during an incident. Our priority is the safety and care of all Niagara County residents".

The Disabilities Response Decals will be available throughout Niagara County at local fire departments, town halls, police agencies, and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office. You may request decals by contacting the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office Community Services Division at (716) 438-3310 as well.

In addition, you may contact the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency phone number (716) 438-3393) to request an informational alert be added for an individual at a residence. The information required to add an alert for a person with disabilities includes the person’s full name, date of birth, height, weight, emergency contact information, and some details about their disabilities. All information provided to Dispatch will remain strictly confidential, and will only be utilized by First Responders during an emergency.

The Disabilities Response Decal Program is entirely free of charge for our community members.