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Fire Safety for Neurodivergent Learners episode artwork

Aug 4, 2026 54 min

Fire Safety for Neurodivergent Learners

from Behaviour Speak with Ben Reiman Hosted by Ben Reiman

In this episode of Behaviour Speak, host Ben Reiman speaks with Sarah Elkami Trdina, Lina Pezzo Szodo, and Camila Grullon from Always Connected Treatment Network (ACTN) about an innovative partnership with Mississauga Fire. The conversation explores how behaviour analysts and fire safety professionals collaborated to create accessible fire safety education for neurodivergent children, youth, and families. The guests discuss caregiver workshops, desensitization protocols for smoke alarms, emergency preparedness training, and strategies for teaching potentially life-saving skills using behaviour analytic principles. The episode also highlights the importance of cross-sector collaboration, community engagement, and creating practical resources that can be shared across organizations, schools, and emergency services. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xGxFs-8ofr4 Continuing Education Credits IBAO: 1.0 ABA Topics QABA: 1.0 General CBA/CPD: 1.0 Learning Complete The Behaviour Speak CE Knowledge Check To Earn Your CEUs Enter your answers here: (https://www.cbiconsultants.com/shop) Question 1 Sarah described how many larger fire safety skills are actually made up of smaller prerequisite skills. Which of the following was discussed as an example of a prerequisite skill involved in successful fire evacuation? A. Learning to identify all fire truck equipment B. Following instructions during an emergency C. Learning firefighter rank structures D. Understanding municipal fire codes Question 2 What behaviour analytic strategy did the ACTN team describe for helping learners become more comfortable with smoke alarms? A. Overcorrection B. Response cost C. Desensitization through gradual exposure to alarm sounds D. Token economies only Question 3 During the episode, Camila shared that behaviour analysis is still emerging in the Dominican Republic. Approximately how many behaviour analysts did she estimate were practicing in the country when she completed her supervision hours? A. About 5 B. About 25 C. About 100 D. About 500 Contact Always Connected Treatment Network https://alwaysconnectedtn.ca/ Sarah Elkami Tridina https://www.linkedin.com/in/elkamisarah/ Camilla Grullon https://www.linkedin.com/in/camilagrullon/ Lina Pezzo Szodo https://www.linkedin.com/in/lina-pezzo-szodo-39127b146/ Links: The September 26th Project https://september26.org/ Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officers Association https://omfpoa.com/ PECS Canada Fire Safety Resources https://pecs-canada.com/blog/teaching-fire-safety-messages-to-aac-users/ https://pecs-canada.com/n-i-c-k-for-fire-and-burn-safety/ Caribbean Association For Behaviour Analysis https://caribbeanba.org/

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Fire Safety for Neurodivergent Learners

0:00 54:13

Chapters

  1. 0:00 Future Projects and Collaborations
  2. 0:22 Meet the Guests and Their Backgrounds
  3. 0:51 Origins of Always Connected Treatment Network
  4. 3:01 Community Needs and Gaps in Services
  5. 4:08 Personal Journeys into Behavior Analysis
  6. 7:19 Camila’s Story and International Experience
  7. 10:38 Connecting ABA to Global Contexts
  8. 14:47 Involvement in Education and Community Outreach
  9. 17:41 Fire Safety Workshops and Community Engagement
  10. 21:46 Practical ABA Strategies for Fire Safety
  11. 24:50 Participation in the Ontario Fire Prevention Symposium
  12. 27:58 Cross-Sector Collaboration Framework
  13. 31:17 Training First Responders in Neurodiversity Awareness
  14. 37:25 Fire Drill Desensitization Techniques
  15. 44:10 Early Intervention and Fire Safety Skills
  16. 46:21 Importance of Local Context in Safety Training

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This episode was published on August 4, 2026.

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