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New Safe Place sites designated in Weirton

SAFE PLACES — Representatives of Youth Services System Inc. met with members of the Weirton Fire Department Tuesday morning to welcome them into the Safe Place network. The YSS Safe Place program offers locations for youth to go and receive help in a time of crisis. In addition to the Weirton Fire Department’s two stations, the Brooke-Hancock Family Resource Network also has been designated as a Safe Place. -- Craig Howell

WEIRTON — Youth going through a crisis or emergency situation need to know when there is a safe place for them to go for assistance.

Through the efforts of Youth Services System, Inc., three new sites are available in the area to help in those times of need.

The Weirton Fire Department’s Headquarters and Gilson Avenue fire stations, as well as the Brooke-Hancock Family Resource Network’s offices have joined the YSS network of more than 20 Safe Place locations.

“Safe Place is a national outreach program for youth 21 and under,” explained Dorothy Matusic, outreach coordinator for YSS, which is based in Wheeling.

Youth Services System is the only licensed Safe Place agency in West Virginia, working to designate locations such as fire departments, libraries, convenience stores, and even restaurants and public buses, as a Safe Place. Those locations are marked with a yellow diamond-shaped sign.

“Youth who need immediate safety can look for those signs,” Matusic said.

Lt. Mikel Serafine explained he had looked into the possibility of the fire department becoming a part of the Safe Place network for several years, and, with support from his fellow firefighters, Fire Chief Kevin Himmelrick and the Weirton city administration, was able to make it happen.

“This is another important aspect we can offer to the community for our youth,” Serafine said.

Serafine noted firefighters often encounter youth in difficult situations while on emergency calls in the community. Now, they know where they can go and be safe in the event of a crisis.

“We’re staffed at the stations 24/7/365, so there’s almost always someone here,” he said.

Matusic explained the service isn’t for situations where kids don’t want to do chores, but for situations such as family problems, if they’re locked out of their home, mental health issues or suicidal thoughts, or even loneliness.

“We will provide resources and accommodations for the youths’ safety,” she said.

In the event of an emergency situation, YSS can dispatch a response team to the Safe Place to provide additional resources.

For older youth, Youth Services System also operates the 4HELP service, where teens may text the word “SAFE” and their location to 44357 to receive a message with the closest Safe Place site.

In Hancock County, other Safe Place sites include the Weirton Christian Center and the Hancock County Health Department. Brooke County locations are DiCarlo’s Pizza in Follansbee, and Mark’s Carry Out and Mark’s Carry Out Too in Wellsburg.

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