JD’s Journey

JD’s Journey

• NCCH received a referral for a home for JD. The home needed to be relatively secluded as JD had a tendency to disrupt the neighborhood where he lived. It also needed to be on a bus stop.

• So we looked for a while and found this place.

• And it is on a bus stop.

JD liked to take off on his own, so we fenced in the back yard and added a security lock on the front door.

JD’s Journey (Part 2)

• All was well for a time but then a problem developed.

• JD started using a second floor window to leave the house. On one occasion as he was leaving, he fell and ended up in the hospital. The County Board decided that JD needed to move to a ranch home. They found him a home for rent in a nearby community and JD moved, renting from a private landlord and living by himself for a couple of years.

JD’s Journey, Part 3

• Unfortunately, things didn’t work out for JD at the second home.

• In 2005 NCCH received a referral for new housing for JD. The requirements were basically the same as JD’s first home (secure exits and good privacy) except this time it needed to be a ranch.

• Why the referral? It seemed JD was disrupting the neighborhood (despite 1:1 staffing 24/7) in his second home and the police and city leaders were demanding action and threatening court action.

JD’s Journey, Part 4

• NCCH looked around for several months and then happened upon a ranch home, on the same street and in the same community as the first home NCCH rented to JD.

• There was one neighbor but as luck would have it she worked at Warrensville Developmental Center and was sympathetic to JD and future tenants.

• So we fenced in the backyard and installed security locks on two doors.

JD’s Journey, Part 5

• But it seemed JD needed some additional security measures. The Board wanted cameras installed in the home and had a vendor to do it.

• So we installed the necessary receptacles to accommodate a surveillance system.

JD’s Journey, Part 6 (JD gets a housemate)

• When NCCH rehabbed the home for JD we replaced all the windows. We were assured that there was no need for any special treatment. (we have learned to ask the question).

• Then after the house was complete and JD had moved in we received a referral for a new tenant who happened to have a habit of throwing objects at and through windows. So we had a security window film installed on all the interior glass surfaces in the home to keep the glass from shattering.

THE END (we hope)

• Remember the window that JD used to leave the first house?

• A new tenant move in in 2005 and liked to break windows. The Board wanted to install Plexiglas over the windows in the bedroom.

A Postscript

• We allowed the installation with the stipulation that the Plexiglas need to be easily removed in the event of an emergency.

• They installed it using Velcro.

• Recently we replaced all the windows in the house. The windows in this bedroom are now tempered.

Simich Drive

• Tenant needs are:– Street with very light traffic (one tenant runs

away and is at risk)– Large home with space for tenants to get

away from one another– Large lot with separation from neighbors

• 2366 SF split level

• Dead end street

• 100 x 300’ lot• Separation

from neighbors via wooded lot on one side and buffer on the other

We Found

What We Did Initially

• Added a door alarm system integrated into the fire alarm system

• Installed tempered glass replacement windows

• Installed a metal railing and gate at the front entry (to discourage fast exits!)

What Happened

• Tenant left home when upset. On several occasions tenant ran to neighbors’ homes knocking on doors yelling someone was trying to kill the tenant.

• Several altercations with police and on one occasion tenant threw rocks at responding officers

• Oh yeah……..the tenant broke the gate

What’s Next• Part of the backyard is being fenced in to

provide a place for tenants to go and remain safe and secure

• Security locks are being considered for two doors that do not exit into enclosed backyard area

The Battles at Battles

• Tenants ( each has Prader Willi Syndrome) needs are:– large ranch home with multiple living areas– remote (rural) location; no attractive areas to

go to on foot– separate and secure kitchen– window and door security monitors and door

locks– safety glass in all windows

• After 18 months of looking we found this fixer upper in an area east of Cleveland, the Village of Gates Mills

• 3259 SF of living space

• 2.5 acres surrounded by wooded areas and about 200 feet from the county line

• nothing within miles except residential homes and small farms

• home has a living room, family room, recreation room and 3 season porch

What we did

• Total reconstruction of interior and exterior

• Replaced all windows (tempered) and doors (solid core)

• Remodeled kitchen completely and installed locked doors at both entries

• Installed security system: door and window alarms and security locks on all doors

What Happened?

• Added a larger capacity battery backup system for the door security (so it would stay on for 24 hours in a power failure)

• Installed locks on the electric panels (they had figured out how to turn off the breaker for the door locks).

Now What?

• Added additional tamper proof window locks on certain windows in living areas that provided easy exit

• Most recently, at the request of the Village, installed a backup generator due to frequent power outages ( and subsequent “lapses” in security)

Window Protection

OPTIONS

Tempered glassLaminated glassPlexiglas laminated over glass/sashWindow films (Shatter Guard, Blast Guard)

a transparent, high-efficiency micro-thin film is bonded to glass with a specially formulated adhesive.

glass and film virtually become one, and a barrier is created on the inside of your windows that helps contain flying glass shards if windows are shattered by accidental or intentional impact, explosive pressure, or the force of high, driving winds.

windows are harder to break through and more likely to stay intact when smashed    

S h a t t e r G u a r d

developed as a defense against bomb blasts, explosions and flying glass

adheres to the interior side of the window

high strength, optically clear or tinted polyester material acts like an invisible coat of armor, making the glass significantly stronger and virtually impenetrable to small ballistic attacks

virtually undetectable to the human eye and will not alter the appearance of the windows in any way.

holds razor sharp glass intact, virtually eliminating flying glass

installed with the only lifetime material and labor warranty in the industry

installed only by certified technicians (not local window tinters)

B L A S T G U A R D

Lighting

Shatterproof Bulbs

Wall Protection

• Plywood backing behind drywall (but increases wall thickness where applied and can still be damaged)

• Paneling over wall ( but it can still be damaged)

• Abuse resistant drywall

Abuse resistant drywall consists of a fiberglass-enhanced, high-density gypsum core, which is non-combustible, with a reinforced heavy facing paper that guards against impact, indentation and surface abrasion.

Doors

Standard Hollow Core Solid Core

HD Ball Bearing Hinge/Screw Through To Framing

Egress

Surveillance

Other Protective Devices

Smoke Detector Cover