Author: Nicole Boomhover

Report of Recent Incident

Posted on by Nicole Boomhover

At Firehouse Ministries, the safety and well-being of our staff, volunteers, and clients are our top priorities. We are deeply saddened to report an incident involving a staff member. After being denied access to the building, a banned client attacked the staff member outside, and they are currently in the care of medical professionals. We ask that you lift up our employee and family in your prayers during this difficult time.

While this incident is isolated, it highlights the increasing mental health issues among the homeless population, a concerning trend we are actively addressing. We want to assure our community that we are taking immediate and comprehensive steps to reinforce our safety protocols.

Safety Measures and Training:

  • Review and Reinforcement of Safety Protocols: We are thoroughly reviewing and reinforcing our existing safety protocols to ensure the highest level of security for everyone at our facility.
  • Personal Safety and De-escalation Techniques: All employees will receive additional training in personal safety and de-escalation techniques to better handle potential conflicts.
  • Crisis Intervention Training: We are enhancing our annual safety training to include more extensive crisis intervention training, equipping our staff with the skills needed to manage and defuse crises effectively.
  • Physical Environment Modifications: We are implementing modifications to our physical environment to increase security and prevent future incidents.
  • Mental Health Debriefing and Resources: We are providing mental health debriefing and resources to support our staff in the aftermath of this incident.

We are committed to doing everything possible to make sure this never happens again. We appreciate the dedication and resilience of our team and the continued support of our community as we navigate these challenges together.

If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 205-252-9576 or nboomhover@firehouseshelter.com. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Sincerely,

Nicole Boomhover
Executive Director