Latest news with #JessicaDavis
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New Calera program aims to help law enforcement responses
CALERA, Ala. (WIAT) — A new program in Calera aims to help first responders provide better care for the community. The C.A.R.E. Network stands for Calera Awareness and Response for Everyone. A Calera dispatcher designed it to help give better responses to those with mental illnesses and disabilities. 'I've worked at a few different law enforcement agencies, but that's one thing I've always felt was a need was a way that we could communicate and maintain our safety and our relationships with our entire community, including our special needs community,' said Jessica Davis, the brain behind the C.A.R.E. Network. C.A.R.E. gives people in the community the ability to fill out a form for the police and fire departments letting them know of any mental illnesses or disabilities. This includes anything from Alzheimer's disease to autism spectrum disorder to Down syndrome to mobility, hearing, vision and speech impairments. By filling the application out, dispatchers can let police officers and firefighters know exactly what they'll be walking in to. 'It's went further so far than I originally anticipated it to,' Davis said. 'Within an hour and a half [on the first day], I believe, we had over 20 applicants for the program and then now, I've had a few different agencies, other law enforcement agencies, reach out to me about how we went about setting this program up and the things that we're doing now to get it out there and make sure our citizens know about it.' Parties react to Sen. Tommy Tuberville's run for governor of Alabama Calera Police Chief David Hyche was immediately on board with Davis' idea. For him, this program is personal. 'I have a special needs daughter, and I remember when she was younger, a big concern that my wife and I had was that if we had a tragic event happen at our house or in the vehicle, law enforcement or fire services might not know how to communicate with her,' Hyche said. 'She's blind and autistic, so a firefighter in their gear or a police officer, it would be unusual sounds and touch, and the feel and the sound of a firefighter in turnout gear would be like a monster to her.' Hyche said it's voluntary to fill out the C.A.R.E. Network application, and information is kept private in the system. 'The more information we can have here at the police department, the better and the safer for everyone,' he said. 'It's really used just to make it safer for both the officers as well as the families.' Hyche said he's already talked with some lawmakers and hopes to see this program go statewide. 'My daughter was a part of several different organizations, and I've been around a lot of autistic adults and children,' Hyche said. 'I could see how their misinterpretation of signals could be seen by law enforcement as aggressive or hostile, and the law enforcement officer might not know any different. These are absolutely signals that 'I am in danger,' when in reality it might just be the way that the autistic person responds to certain stimuli.' If you would like to be a part of the C.A.R.E. Network, you can fill out an application here or in person at the Calera Police Department. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Heroic pet rescuer endures sleepless nights and hazardous conditions to search for animals displaced by fires: 'I'm running on adrenaline'
Jessica Davis spends her days driving through smoke-filled canyons near Los Angeles, searching for pets left behind during recent fires, reported People. As the founder of Boomer's Buddies Rescue, she leads a group of volunteers working to reunite animals with their owners after sudden evacuations. Since Jan. 7, when the Palisades Fire struck her Malibu neighborhood, Davis's phone hasn't stopped ringing. People reach out, hoping she can check properties they had to abandon, looking for signs of their beloved pets. What would you do if natural disasters were threatening your home? Move somewhere else Reinforce my home Nothing This is happening already Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "That's what makes it all worth it," said Davis, 41, who has brought nearly two dozen animals to safety. "I'm running on adrenaline and no sleep, but finding life is what keeps me going." The real estate marketing specialist first spotted the fire from her Brentwood office. After moving her own five pets to a motel, she started helping others. Her work takes her into areas where telephone poles still smolder, and the landscape tells a story of destruction. "The canyons have been pretty difficult to navigate," she told People. "It looks like a war zone in those areas, literally like a bomb just went off. The landscape and community are forever changed. It's heartbreaking." The work never stops. Davis can't rest when messages pour in from worried pet owners. She drives from house to house, sometimes finding nothing alive, other times discovering survivors, from koi fish to turtles. Recently, she answered a call about chickens trapped in a coop. When she arrived at the burned property, some had perished, but five remained. "I was able to get five of them, but they were still terrified," she said. "I've never heard chickens scream like that. It was frightening." After bringing the birds to safety, Davis made space in her coop for more rescues. "That way I was able to free up space in my coop just in case we get more chickens," she said. "This really has been such a community effort." Her dedication shows how one person's actions can make a difference during natural disasters, bringing hope to both animals and their worried families. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
