Lt. Perry's Place provides safe space for first responders of Manatee, Sarasota counties
BRADENTON, Fla. - First responders see the unthinkable every single day, including tragic car crashes, incidents involving children, shootings and more. They carry that experience with them for the rest of their lives.
What we know:
Heath Perry and his mother have made it their mission to support first responders in Manatee and Sarasota counties by giving them a "normal place, after normal hours."
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Just off of Manatee Avenue East in Bradenton, you'll find Lt. Perry's Place.
"This is a safe space for all first responders of Sarasota and Manatee counties," said Heath Perry.
Lt. Perry's Place brings comfort when needed with a full kitchen, weight room, two pianos, game room, recreation activities and a counseling space.
"It's a space where they can come and decompress after their hard shifts," said Heath.
The backstory:
Heath Perry and his mother founded the non-profit Joe Perry Lives Inc. in honor of his younger brother, Lt. Joseph Perry. He was a 22-year veteran of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office before he died by suicide in June 2015.
"He worked all faucets, from crimes against children to detective to internal affairs. He did every aspect of the job and with that comes all the horrible things that you deal with," said Heath.
Lt. Perry put on a strong front – as many first responders do.
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"Everybody is expected to just have that coat of armor, it’s okay to ask for help, it’s okay to have a shoulder to cry on. It’s okay to unload your baggage," he said.
Lt. Perry's Place is working to bring that community together.
"I just knew this was something I wanted to be a part of," said Kelvin Foster, a chaplain for the North River Fire Rescue District who is also a U.S. Navy veteran and former firefighter.
Why you should care:
"The average civilian might see one or two traumas in their lifetime; the average first responder will see over 900 over the course of their careers," Foster said. "I was a former firefighter; we never talked about how you deal with that stuff. Most compartmentalize, and it builds up and over time it has a negative impact. Having a space like this form keeping those piling up, I think, is a game changer."
Marlo Alleva's son is a first responder in Lakeland.
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"It was almost like a weight falls off your shoulders when you walk in," she said.
Alleva is working to help spread the mission of Lt. Perry's Place.
"It's just a cool place to come and hang out that’s away from going to a bar, away from hanging out in a restaurant or anywhere else. Because, you have your privacy, but everything you would do anywhere else," she said.
Lt. Perry's Place is open to all first responders throughout Manatee and Sarasota counties, but Heath Perry has a vision and a goal to open up Lt. Perry’s place nationwide.
"There is 67 counties in the state of Florida. Manatee County is only one of those. I plan on having a Lt. Perry’s Place in every single county possibly two or three in bigger counties. From there, there’s 3,144 counties in the nation. God put it on my heart. There’s first responders all over our country. Lt.Perry’s place is not only needed, but we can do this. We can do this together. We can build something bigger, better today and help our first responders without the stigma," said Heath.
What you can do:
All services are free and available 24/7. First responders just need to contact Heath to confirm their employment and receive a code for Lt. Perry's Place, and it's a place he knows can save lives.
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"My mother and I created this, if we can keep one family from going through what we did," said Heath.
Heath has also started a magazine focused on activities that first responders can do to give them an outlet outside of work. It's called First Responders Reviews. Funds from advertising will help continue the message of Lt. Perry's Place.
To find out more, click here. If you'd like to sign up for Lt. Perry's Place, email info@joeperrylives.org.
The Source: Information was gathered by FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon through Lt. Perry's Place and Heath Perry, who founded the non-profit in honor of his brother.