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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM-00-1128> ® DISTCICT 1 ri CITY OF MIAMI, FLORID. INTER -OFFICE MEMORAP VICE CHAIRMAN GORT Carlos Gimenez DATE: November 20, 2000 FILE: City Manager SUBJECT: Discussion Item )M: REFERENCES: Wifredo (Willy) Gort ENCLOSURES: Commissioner Would you please place on the Commission Agenda of December14, 2000, as a dis- cussion item the Project "Safe Place". A program designed to assist youth and fami- lies in crisis situations. Thank you for your cooperation. WG/kk AGENDA ITEMS/SAFE PLACE Al C.: Elvi Gallastegui-Alonso, Agenda Office CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA • INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM TO Carlos Gimenez DATE : November 20, 2000 FILE . City Manager �. SUBJECT: �- Discussion Item FROM: REFERENCES: Wlfredo (Willy) Gort ENCLOSURES: Commissioner Would you please place on the Commission Agenda of December14, 2000, as a dis- cussion item the Project "Safe Place". A program designed to assist youth and fami- lies in crisis situations. Thank you for your cooperation. WG/kk AGENDA ITEMS/SAFE PLACE Al C.: Elvi Gallastegui-Alonso, Agenda Office oa.,rFo Mia Association of Fire Fighters g I W ©m Fi Local 587 • Organized October, 1938 2980 N.W. South River Drive • Miami, Florida 33125-1146 A . cid(305) 633-3442 • Fax (305) 633-3935 CLC Thomas M. Gabriel, President • Joe Burns, Secretary -Treasurer Affiliated with: International Association of Fire Fighters • American Federation of Labor Congress of Industrial Organizations • Florida Professional Firefighters • South Florida Council of Fire Fighters Project Safe Place is a program designed to assist youth and families in crisis situations. The program works by creating a network of "Safe Places" that display the Safe Place logo on their premises. Any youth in trouble knows that he or she can enter a location with this sign and request help. An employee will provide the youth with a place of refuge to wait while he contacts the local youth shelter. The shelter then dispatches a trained volunteer to the site to offer assistance and, provide transportation to the shelter facility if necessary. This. program was created and initially implemented by the YMCA Center for Youth Alternatives in Louisville, Ky. in 1983. GENERIC PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES 1. Get basic information from the youth about the situation 2. Call Miami Bridge 3. Have youth wait in a designated quiet area until volunteer arrives 4. Shelter staff will call back with name of volunteer/staff that will respond 5. Check on youth periodically 6. When volunteer/staff arrives check ID 7. Allow volunteer/staff a few minutes to talk 8. Only call P.D. if violent or dangerous situation arises What are the costs? The aluminum Safe Place logo signs displayed at a station cost between 15 and 22 dollars. They provide the rest of the materials. Is there any safety concerns? If any violent or dangerous situation arises from the kids or parents that might show up at the station, police should be dispatched immediately. What is the liability for the city? According to Ms. Tynes, once the call is made Miami Bridge becomes responsible. Are we to transport these children anywhere? No.Unless they meet our protocols for treatment or transportation policy. How do kids know where to go? This program is promoted in schools, YMCA's, and anywhere with large gatherings of children. What kind of children will we encounter? Statistics show a decrease in the stereotypical runaway and an increase in the ungovernable or latch -key child. According to Ms. Tynes, the child we will mostly encounter is the at risk child from the at risk neighborhoods. They usually do not runaway far, it is after dinner time ( between the hours of 1800 and 2100 ), and around report card time. The program focuses on children between the ages of 10 and 1.8. Of course we will not be checking for ID and will honor what the child states to us. What is the Miami Bridge? The Miami Bridge is a 24 hour shelter that serves all of Dade County. It has two locations: one in Homestead and the other at 2810 N.W. South River Dr. in the City of Miami. Between the two 114-H28 United in the protection of American life, home, industry facilities they have 48 beds. Six of those beds are reserved for the Dept. of Children and Families for emergency situations and the other 42 are crisis beds or "cooling of period". They have three shifts with at least four people per shift per facility. It is not a lock down facility so the children can leave at any time. What type of response time does the Miami Bridge have? According to Ms. Tynes 30 to 40 minutes. Are there any other Fire Departments involved? Yes, locally we have Miami Beach, Miami -Dade County, Ft. Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. In the state: Jacksonville, St. Petersburg, Daytona Beach, Merritt Island, and Gainesville. Nationally, please see attached item number 2. In addition, the Fire Chief of Louisville, Ky. sits on the National Board. Why are Fire Stations sought after? They are 24 hour facilities scattered around the whole county. Unlike police stations, children will be more comfortable approaching fire stations and firefighters. Furthermore, Ms. Tynes believes that since firefighters deal in crisis situations, they will be able to deal and say the right thing during the encounter. Eloj Garcia Second Vice President MAFF Local 587 00-I128 0 • Cities involving the Fire Department in their Safe Place program Gadsden, AL Prescott, AZ Aurora, CO Denver, CO Washington, DC Daytona Beach, FL Ft. Lauderdale, FL Gainesville, FL Jacksonville, FL Merritt Island, FL St. Petersburg, FL Stuart, FL W. Palm Beach, FL Monroe, GA Hilo, HI LaGrange, IL M 10 m i 66AQ4 I PC m 14 in i - OA" couwry , F( . Rockford, IL Springfield, IL Franklin, IN Gary, IN Indianapolis, IN Jeffersonville, IN Shelbyville, IN South Bend, IN Vincennes, IN Ames, IA Covington, KY Lexington, KY Louisville, KY Prince George's Co., MD St. Paul, MN Jackson, MS Charlotte, NC Greensboro, NC Raleigh, NC Cherry Hill, NJ Atlantic Co., NJ Cincinnati, OH Columbus, OH Toledo, OH Sioux Falls, SD Knoxville, TN Nashville, TN Austin, TX Killeen, TX Wichita Falls, TX Tacoma, WA ® ®1 .20