Programs and Initiatives

Our first project was a research paper entitled “De-Escalation Options for Law Enforcement when Encountering a Veteran in Crisis.”  The issue addressed was the increasing number of encounters between police and veterans that turned lethal very quickly because of the mental state of the suspect and the aggressiveness of the police units involved. The white paper offered suggestions for defusing tension before triggers were pulled. In time Jerry, Rich and Scott obtained federal grant money and developed a new course of instruction for law enforcement to teach de-escalation techniques. This course is now on the list of funded training for all police departments in the State of Florida.

The “Follow the Flag Campaign” idea developed as Rich and Scott explored ways to introduce the new training program to communities outside of New York and Florida.  We believed that if they took the flag that flew over the World Trade Center from town to town during the year leading up to the tenth anniversary of the attacks they could both attract attention to the cause and provide a stimulant to focus local community efforts.  The campaign would emphasize the fact that we are still dealing with the consequences of 9/11, and encourage people to remember the great sense of community and desire to assist that we all experienced following the attacks.

In addition to showcasing the flag at a prominent public event, a traveling team would conduct Community Fusion Events where they would meet with local support groups and law enforcement representatives to discuss trends and share best practices.  The campaign is designed to take the new Post 911 Foundation to a new level of national recognition and financial support, beginning with a series of events on 11 September 2010 in New York, Washington D.C., Tampa, and Colorado.

To round out the Foundation’s scope there are a number of focused projects helping single individuals regain lost freedom or pay bills resulting from injuries sustained as a first responder or military veteran.  To date these projects include building a custom motorcycle capable of accepting a wheel chair, financial support to a Tampa Fireman battling cancer, legal assistance for a veteran facing eviction from his home, and establish a network of peers to respond to individuals suffering from traumatic events.