Lieutenant Perry's Place: A Safe Haven for Florida First Responders

Honoring Lieutenant Perry

• 🎗️ Lieutenant Perry's Place was established in honor of Joseph Perry, a 22-year veteran of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office who died by suicide in June 2015.
• 💔 His brother, Heath Perry, and mother founded the nonprofit Joe Perry Lives, Inc. to support first responders in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

A Space for Decompression

• 🏠 Located in Bradenton, Lieutenant Perry's Place offers a normal place for first responders to decompress after their shifts, operating 24/7/365.
• 🛋️ The facility includes a full kitchen, waiting room, game room, recreational activities, and a dedicated counseling space.
• 🚫 There is no stigma attached to using the space, providing a judgment-free environment.

The Impact on First Responders

• 🧠 First responders regularly encounter traumatic events, seeing an average of 900 traumas over their careers compared to one or two for the average civilian.
• ⚖️ Chaplain Kelvin Foster believes a space like this is a game-changer for preventing the accumulation of these incidents.
• ✅ The environment is described as a place where a weight falls off your shoulders upon entering.

Expanding the Mission

• 🌍 Heath Perry has a vision to expand Lieutenant Perry's Place nationwide, believing it can be built bigger and better together.
• 📰 He also started a magazine called First Responders Reviews, focusing on activities that provide outlets for first responders outside of work.
• 🤝 The ultimate goal is to save lives and prevent other families from experiencing the same loss the Perry family did.