by Stephanie Croston
scroston@sewardindependent.com
A program started in Virginia in 1999 has made its way to Seward.
Called Project Lifesaver, it’s designed to help protect children with a tendency to wander. Those with autism are the primary beneficiaries of the program, Sgt. Russ Frazey of the Seward Police Department said.
All SPD’s officers have been trained to use the search and rescue equipment, which means the program is ready to roll out in Seward.
Not everyone who wanders will qualify for Project Lifesaver, Pilcher said. Families will go through an evaluation process.
Those who qualify for the program receive a bracelet that includes a battery-operated transmitter in a waterproof case. Each person is assigned a unique radio frequency.
“It’s worn like a watch,” Frazey said.
The battery must be changed every 45 -50 days by a qualified operator. Frazey said families will be encouraged to come to the Seward Police Department for the service.
“It’s better than GPS that you have to charge daily,” Officer Zach Pilcher said. “It has a longer battery life.”
GPS is also not 3D, he said. The Project Lifesaver equipment tracks signals up and down as well as on a horizontal plane.
Pilcher said Project Lifesaver offers peace of mind because families don’t have to wonder if it will work.
“It’s older technology, but very dependable,” Frazey said. “It acts as a security blanket.”
In addition to the bracelets, the police department has antennas specifically for tracking the radio frequencies. Pilcher said they can reach about a mile, which allows the police to get close to a person who has wandered away from home. The radio signal can deflect off metal, and weather and terrain are factors in searches, as well.
“It’s had a lot of success throughout the U.S.” Pilcher said.
“It’s a huge resource,” Frazey said.
The radio frequencies are entered into a database that can be accessed around the country.
Some families look for programs like this when they’re planning trips, Pilcher said. Lincoln Police Department has about 35 participants, he said.
Seward Police Chief Brian Peters heard about Project Lifesaver from LPD Sgt. Dan Young. Young has an autistic child and spearheaded the effort to get the word out, Peters said.
“It was an eye opener to me,” he said. “I’m happy he reached out, and we’re excited to get this rolled out.”
The nonprofit company was founded by Gene Saunders of Chesapeake, Virginia, after he observed the connection between conditions like Alzheimer’s and autism and the act of wandering.
SPD received a grant to purchase several Project Lifesaver bracelets to start the program in Seward. Frazey said the goal is to find donations and supporters so that participants will have no cost.
The program costs about $250 per year, he said.
“We think it will be a really good tool,” Frazey said.
Officers have also met with school administrators and counselors to talk about the program and how it could help in the schools. They have also reached out to Kinship Pointe and Ridgewood, both of which are home to people with dementia who could also wander away.
Health and Human Services caseworkers have called for information on the program, as well.
“It’s a great service to provide,” Pilcher said.
