City of Long Beach Launches Sensory Area for Everyone Vehicle

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PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA - The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (Health Department), in partnership with KultureCity, has launched a new mobile sensory service, the Sensory Area for Everyone (S.A.F.E.) vehicle. This new resource, which is the first City vehicle of its kind, will serve as a sensory relief room for community members who may seek immediate comfort in high-stress or noisy environments, such as community events or emergency situations. The vehicle made its debut at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 19-21, where it welcomed over 2,200 visitors seeking sensory relief and education about this new resource.

"The City of Long Beach is excited to expand resources for the Disability, Access and Functional Needs community," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "Our S.A.F.E. vehicle is a significant investment in our community's inclusivity, and we are proud to be providing sensory relief across City events and emergency responses."

The S.A.F.E. vehicle will offer a range of features designed to provide children, families and adults with sensory needs a safe, comfortable and soothing environment to reduce anxiety and recenter. Some of these features include:

• Sound proofing and noise canceling earmuffs
• Low lighting
• Air conditioning
• Sensory spinning carousels and eco-friendly bean bag chairs
• Tactile walls
• Color changing light shows and water bubbles
• Weighted lap pads
• Ramp access

Creating a calming environment for neurodivergent children and adults, including those who are autistic or have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is important in meeting the needs of the whole community. Noise and over-stimulation are common in emergency and high-stress situations. The S.A.F.E. vehicle will support people with sensory needs and intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) who are sensitive to these environments.

With this new resource, the Health Department's Public Health Emergency Management division will strengthen its emergency planning and response efforts by focusing on inclusivity and accessibility, as well as actively dismantling barriers that exclude community members with sensory needs.

"Noisy events and large groups of people can be overwhelming for those with sensory needs," said Health Department Director Alison King. "With our new S.A.F.E. vehicle, the Health Department will continue to ensure that the needs of the whole community are met."

The S.A.F.E. vehicle was acquired with the Urban Areas Security Initiative Program Funds. This Homeland Security Grant Program assists state, local and tribal efforts in preventing, protecting against, mitigating and responding to, and recovering from acts of terrorism and other emergency response threats.

For more information and to stay updated on the S.A.F.E. vehicle and other Disability, Access, and Functional Needs initiatives throughout the city, please visit longbeach.gov/dafn.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. More information about the Long Beach Health Department is available at longbeach.gov/health and on Instagram, Facebook and X.

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