Willingboro Firefighters Participate In Autism Walk
 
By Firefighter Mark Robertson Sr.
November 3, 2014
 

On October 8 2014, Lieutenant (Lt.) Jamie Clark and Firefighter Mike Centrone participated in the Gloucester County Autism Walk which was held in West Deptford NJ. The walk benefited the Gloucester County Special Services School District, and it’s after school programs for the Bank Bridge Development Center Autism School. Lt. Clark’s son has attended this school for the past 2 years. Lt. Clark started participating in the walk 2 years ago in full firefighter protective gear and equipment. This year to help show support for the walk, Lt. Clark had asked firefighters from all over New Jersey to come and walk along with him as a team that was named after his son.

That morning, several firefighters from Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Ocean Counties in New Jersey, and a firefighter from Kentland Volunteer Fire Company in Prince Georges County Maryland, participated in the walk. The firefighters suited up at 10:45 am and walked 3 miles together as a group to show that they too were not only walking for Lt. Clark's son, but for everyone with Autism. Children would come up and ask for pictures with the firefighters, some just wanted to touch the gear, and a few just wanted to be near us and stand. For some of the children and adults at the walk, just the presence of firefighters was a huge leap in helping someone overcome their fear or anxiety of the gear or fully dressed firefighters and helped take the fear away.