June 5, 2008 issue
Local Groups Collaborating to Bring
Project Lifesaver To Watauga
Service Helps Locate Missing Persons through Transmitter Technology
Story by David Brewer
Few things in the world are more alarming than the thought of having a family member or loved one wander away from home or go missing. Fortunately, a Virginia-based operation called Project Lifesaver has developed a system that helps law enforcement agencies quickly locate missing persons through GPS-equipped wristbands.
Established in April 1999 as an initiative of the 43rd Virginia Search and Rescue Company of the Chesapeake, Va. Sheriff’s Office, Project Lifesaver is built on the work of the Stokes County, N.C. Mountain Rescue program, that pioneered the use of special equipment and procedures to locate lost and wandering patients with mental disorders.
Project Lifesaver’s primary mission is to locate and rescue missing persons. With an ongoing increase in the number of people diagnosed with autism, as well as the existence of thousands of Alzheimer’s and Down syndrome patients, Project Lifesaver has become one of the leading organizations addressing the need to protect these patients and bring comfort to their families and caregivers.
By forming partnerships with local law enforcement and public safety organizations, Project Lifesaver deploys specially trained teams with the most reliable technology available to quickly locate and return wandering adults and children to their families and caregivers. The operation has been featured in Parade Magazine and Reader’s Digest, as well as on several major TV networks, including CNN, Discovery, Fox News, MSNBC and more.
In the High Country, the Adult Services Coalition and the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office are championing Project Lifesaver. According to ASC member Dick Hearn, representatives made a presentation at the recent Adult Services Expo at Boone Mall.
“There is a need in the community for this type of service,” said Hearn. “We’re just trying to get it established as quickly as possible.”
Hearn said that Watauga County Sheriff L.D. Hagaman is eager to launch Project Lifesaver in the High Country and has secured agreements with both Ashe and Avery counties to share the equipment when needed.
According to the operation’s website, Project Lifesaver relies on proven radio technology and a specially trained search and rescue team. Clients enrolled in the Project Lifesaver program wear a personalized wristband that emits a tracking signal. When caregivers notify the local Project Lifesaver agency that the person is missing, a search and rescue team responds to the wanderer’s area and starts searching with the mobile locater tracking system. Search times have been reduced from hours and days to minutes. In more than 1,500 searches, there have been no reported serious injuries or deaths and recovery times average less than 30 minutes.
Project Lifesaver teams are specially trained, not only in search and rescue and the use of the electronic tracking equipment, but also in the methods necessary to communicate with a person who has Alzheimer’s or a related disorder. Locating the individual is only part of the mission. Project Lifesaver teams are trained to approach the person, gain his or her trust and put the individual at ease for the trip home.
Project Lifesaver, a nonprofit organization, depends upon the support of the community. The operation’s goal is to provide the benefits of the program to all in need, regardless of their ability to pay. Funding for the organization comes from private donations and grants from government, corporations and charitable foundations. All contributions made to Project Lifesaver are tax deductible and are used directly for program operations, including rescues, equipment and education.
According to Hearn, each Project Lifesaver bracelet costs $300. Currently, the Adult Services Coalition is working to raise $5,600 for the initial costs for the tracking equipment, setup and two days of officer training. Although 17 local businesses and healthcare organizations have already made donations to Project Lifesaver, more money is still needed to get the project off the ground.
To contribute to Project Lifesaver in Watauga County, make checks payable to the Adult Services Coalition and mail to P.O. Box 2291, Boone, NC, 28607.
For more info on Project Lifesaver, click to www.projectlifesaver.org.
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