BIRMINGHAM, AL — The staff at Firehouse Ministries has had a tough week since Birmingham Police arrested a man on Sunday afternoon for reportedly attacking a staff member outside.
The former client was not allowed to enter the building on Sunday because they had been put on a list of people who were not allowed to.
CEO Nicole Boomhover said, “We’re all hurting, we’re all worried, and we’re all praying for our staff member.”
Court records show that Birmingham man Clarence Cedric Fuller, 40, is charged with attempted murder for attacking the victim at 4:44 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20.
Firehouse Ministries says the victim was taken to the hospital and is in very bad shape. Friday morning, Boomhover talked about what the center was doing to make people safer after the attack.
Boomhover said, “This is a panic button.” “You tie it around your neck.” Everyone on staff who is working right now will look at one of these when they get in.
A danger button that calls the Birmingham Police Department isn’t new, but Boomhover says that all staff members will now wear one while they’re on duty.
During rounds, there is also a better friend system in place.
Boomhover said, “They have to have four things on those rounds.” It’s a friend, their cell phone, a walkie-talkie, and a panic button.
There will also be security for an extra four hours.
“It will take 24 hours,” Boomhover said. “Right now, we have 16 hours of security, and that includes lunchtime and check-in times, which are the busiest times.”
On Friday, people who came into the building had to go through a pat-down before they could eat lunch.
After Sunday’s attack on the staff member who was outside trying to lock up the outdoor gazebo at the end of the day, safety rules have been changed.
Boomhover said, “It was definitely a one-off incident, and it was a targeted incident because the client couldn’t get to services.”
Based on court records, Clarence Cedric Fuller is accused of trying to kill the victim by hitting him with a piece of quartz or something else and/or beating him.
Boomhover said, “I’m doing everything I can to make sure this never happens again.”
Also, all workers will get more training in how to stay safe and calm down situations.
She said that in their 40-year past, this is the first time something like this has ever happened.
There is only one low-barrier shelter for guys in the Birmingham area, and that is Firehouse Ministries. They let people who are having problems with their mental health or getting sober.
Source: Firehouse Ministries revise safety protocol after police arrest man for assaulting staff member
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