Project Lifesaver
- Do you care for someone who elopes from home or program area?
- Have you had to call 911 when a loved one cannot be found?
Project Lifesaver, a program comprised of components specifically designed to protect “at risk” individuals, may be able to help you to be proactive in supporting a loved one or a person in your care.
Project Lifesaver is a community based, public safety, non-profit organization that provides law enforcement, fire/rescue, and caregivers with a program designed to protect, and when necessary, quickly locate individuals with cognitive disorders who are prone to the life threatening behavior of wandering. The necessity of this program was determined through the correlation between cognitive conditions and the act of wandering.
Project Lifesaver is offered in Pennsylvania and all 50 states in our country. Proven radio technology and specially trained search and rescue teams find those enrolled in the program when they become lost.
This program is run at a municipality level by public safety agencies. Project Lifesaver International will equip the agencies with the necessary technologies and training on use of equipment and the implementation of strategic methods specifically designed for the program. Training also includes community policing courses that provide a basic understanding of cognitive conditions to understand the behaviors of the missing individual.
Persons enrolled in the program wear a small transmitter on the wrist or ankle that emits a unique, individualized tracking signal. If a person goes missing, search teams use their signal receiving equipment to track and locate the missing person. The knowledge given from the community policing courses is best applied in this situation because the first responders will know how to best approach the client once found, and allow them to be brought back to safety.
Project Lifesaver is a program, not a product that bridges the gap between responders and their communities. Relationships are formed and trust is built. If you are seeking assistance with someone who wanders, Project Lifesaver may be the peace of mind you need to know the individual you care for is protected.
For information on Project Lifesaver, visit their website at www.projectlifesaver.org.
