A new program that utilizes technology to quickly locate missing vulnerable individuals is now available to families in Chatham-Kent.
Chatham-Kent Victim Services and the Chatham-Kent Police Services (CKPS) launched Project Lifesaver this week to assist residents with Alzheimer’s, dementia, autism, and other cognitive conditions who are at risk of wandering.
The program allows families to register their loved ones to receive a small wristband that emits an individualized radio signal. In the event that a client goes missing, the caregiver notifies Chatham-Kent police and trained officers can use an individualized frequency to find their location.
Inspector Mike Pearce said the transmitters have a range of 3km on the ground and 8-10km by air.
“In any search and rescue, the goal is to find someone as fast as possible and in the best condition possible. Project Lifesaver enables that,” said Pearce.
What potentially could be a multi-day search for a vulnerable person can now be reduced to 30 minutes or less, Pearce said.
“I know North Bay [police] have used it three times in the last year and they’ve found all three people in less than 10 minutes,” he said.
There are nine CKPS officers who are specifically trained to use the tracking technology in the event an individual is reported missing and another 12 officers will be trained in the near future.
Chatham-Kent Victim Services will manage the enrollment and ongoing support for participants, ensuring that families and caregivers have the resources and information necessary to benefit fully from the program.
There are currently 20 Project Lifesaver bracelets available for members of the community. While the bracelets typically come at a cost of around $500, CK police and their partners have acquired funding for the program to provide them free of charge.
“We don’t want that to be a barrier for families to be able to enter the program,” said Pearce.
If there is significant demand for the bracelets above and beyond the initial 20, Pearce said additional funding will be sought to offset the cost.
Those interested in registering for the program are asked to contact Victim Services at (519) 436-6630.
