Premise Alert for Police & Individuals with disabilities

On April 7th of 2008, The Premise Alert System was presented to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by the Honorable Chris Ross, Representative from Chester County in a ceremony at the Rotunda in our state capitol building. The Premise Alert System is a safety program that supports individuals living with disabilities as well as Police Officers responding to calls at a specific address.

Knowing that our government works best when partisan politics are put aside, Representative Barbara McIlvaine Smith from Chester County joined and was warmly welcomed by Rep. Chris Ross at the ceremony and announced her plan to take the information to the Floor of the House and ask each Representative to offer the Premise Alert Form from their District Offices as a public service to their constituents.

Joining in the ceremony were Estelle Richman, Secretary of the Department of Public Welfare and Colonel Jeffery Miller, Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police Department, both leaders made statements of support and outlined their long standing roles in the Premise Alert System, which was created by Police Chief Kevin McCarthy of the East Earl Township Police Department Lancaster County and Susan F. Rzucidlo of Landenberg, PA in Chester County in 2004.

Lt. Joe Spera, and the Philadelphia Police Department’s Communication Division were recognized at the event for their creation of a Philadelphia Alert System and their generous support of Premise System by Parent Exchange, Speaking For Ourselves, Vision for Equality and SPEAK Unlimited Inc.

The Premise Alert System allows families to voluntarily notify the police and other first responders about their special circumstances free of any charge. It may be a child or adult with autism, developmental delays, or mental retardation, who is known to wander. It may be someone with rare or complex medical issues that require special handling. It could be an Alzheimer patient who wanders. The Premise Alert System also helps police departments identify individuals who have special needs, which will enable the responding officer to have additional information at his/her disposal. This form will be distributed to families through case managers at the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation as well as schools, community groups and legislators’ offices. The form can also be accessed through their website at www.papremisealert.com

The Pennsylvania Police Chiefs Association, the Pennsylvania State Police, PA NENA, PA Dept of Public Welfare, PA ARC, and a wide variety of disability advocacy groups have endorsed the Premise Alert System across the Commonwealth. It is our hope that each Police Department in the Commonwealth will participate in this program. A mailing of the form and information on how to process, handle and organize the forms was sent to every police department in Pennsylvania. The Program is designed to support both Police Officers and individuals with disabilities.

Kevin McCarthy is the Chief of Police in East Earl Township, Lancaster County. Susan Rzucidlo started a nonprofit organization named SPEAK Unlimited Inc., which provides handouts, speakers, advocacy support and First Responders information. Together and through this non-profit Chief Kevin McCarthy and Susan F. Rzucidlo have gifted the Premise Alert System to The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for all to use.

Special recognition for their support in getting the program developed and rolled out included: Don DiMarco of Mailing Services Inc., Courtney Donovan, Ruth Landsman, Mike McGrady, Emilio Pacheco, Karen Woodings, Uma Ramaswamy, and the organizations Speaking for Ourselves and AutismLink.