Project Lifesaver program initiated in Charles City

Charles City County Sheriff’s Office has announced its partnership with the Project Lifesaver Program that is designed to track and rescue those with cognitive diseases.

The service addresses critical needs for protecting citizens in Charles City who are at risk of wandering, including those with Alzheimer’s, Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Down Syndrome and Dementia for all ages.

Clients enrolled in the service will wear a wrist-watch sized radio transmitter on their wrist or ankle. The transmitter constantly emits a radio-frequency signal that can be tracked, regardless of where the person has wandered no matter the area. When a person goes missing, caregivers notify 9-1-1 and deputies are dispatched to the wanderer’s last known location. Average rescue times produced by the program are approximately 30 minutes.

Several Charles City deputies have been certified as Electronic Search Specialists with the Project Lifesaver Program. These deputies have been trained on how to initiate electronic searches as well as interacting with people with cognitive conditions once they have been located.

“This partnership with Project Lifesaver will enhance our response capabilities when searching for people who may have cognitive impairment and have wandered off,” stated Charles City Sheriff Alan M. Jones, Sr. in a press release. “Time is a critical element in the success rate of these types of searches and Project Lifesaver will dramatically reduce search time and improve our chances of a successful search.”

For more information on how to participate in the program, please contact LaToya Johnson-Davis at the Department of Social Services for Charles City County at (804) 652-1708 or Project Lifesaver at 1-877-580-LIFE (5433) or visit www.projectlifesaver.org.