Jefferson County Health Department (JCHD) has collaborated with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, Jefferson County 911 Dispatch, and the High Ridge Fire Department to expand the Project Lifesaver Program. High Ridge Fire District helped bring Project Lifesaver to the area several years ago. Now, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Health Department are expanding the program to our entire county.
Project Lifesaver is the premier search and rescue program operated internationally by public safety agencies and is strategically designed for “at-risk” individuals who are prone to the life-threatening behavior of wandering. The primary mission of Project Lifesaver is to provide timely response to save lives and reduce potential injury for adults and children with the propensity to wander due to cognitive disorders.
“Our collective goal is to offer some peace of mind to caregivers and safety to those at risk of wandering, and we are all dedicated to Project Lifesaver’s mission of bringing loved ones home,” said John Barton, Missouri Project Lifesaver Coordinator and Public Information Officer for the High Ridge Fire Protection District.
Those enrolled in Project Lifesaver wear a small transmitter on the wrist or ankle that emits an individualized frequency signal. If the individual does wander, trained members of the Sheriff’s Office will work with Jefferson County 911 Dispatch to find the person. Dispatch provides the search and rescue team with a general location. Teams on the ground use a receiver that picks up the radio signal from the bracelet and guides them to the person’s exact location.
Search times for certified agencies using Project Lifesaver have been reduced from hours or potentially days, to minutes. Recovery times for Project Lifesaver agencies average 30 minutes. That’s 95% less time than standard operations without Project Lifesaver.
“As a caregiver, I know what it’s like to lose sleep every night because you are worried about your loved one wandering from home,” said Barton. “As a first responder, I know the difficulties and sometimes tragic outcomes of searching for a missing person.”
Currently, the program is offered at no cost to participants. To qualify for this program a person must have a medical condition or diagnosis including, but not limited to, developmental delay, Autism, Dementia, or Alzheimer’s.
Families may call Jefferson County Health Department at 636-797-3737 and schedule an appointment to obtain a tracking bracelet for their household member. JCHD staff will assist with registering the device, training caregivers, and maintenance of the bracelet, which includes changing the batteries every 3 months.
“We are thrilled to implement this valued program through strong partnerships with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, High Ridge Fire Protection District, and Jefferson County 911 Dispatch,” said Jaclyn Brown, Community Services Manager at Jefferson County Health Department.