This is a program designed to assist law enforcement agencies in locating wandering persons. The program was first designed to assist agencies that were spending many man hours trying to locate persons who were suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and had wandered off from their caregivers. Project Lifesaver has now expanded to include those persons suffering from Autism, Dementia, Intellectual Disabilities, or any Brain-Related disorder. Through the use of technology, participating agencies are able to speed up the recovery time for those persons affected.
The basic concept of Project Lifesaver started in North Carolina with the Stokes County Mountain Rescue Team. Searches before Project Lifesaver were taking over 9 hours, after Project Lifesaver was developed, the recovery times averaged less than 30 minutes. Project Lifesaver is the only current organization officially organized to train Public Safety Agencies to electronically locate lost people. The 43rd Virginia Search and Rescue Team in Chesapeake, Virginia officially formalized Public Safety training procedures and officially started Project Lifesaver in April, 1999.
With help from the Pilot Clubs of Opelika and Lee County, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office is able to offer Project Lifesaver to the citizens of Lee County.
The transmitter costs $300.00 and this includes the tester used to test the signal each day.
Batteries must be replaced regularly (every 30-60 days depending on battery). A member of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office will meet with you at an agreed upon location within Lee County to replace the battery/wristband and to inspect the equipment. The caregiver must be present during this time so that any problems encountered can be addressed.
While the transmitters are purchased by and for the person(s) enrolled in the program, they remain the property of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and if for any reason it is determined that a person no longer needs to be enrolled in the program, the transmitter must be returned to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and may be issued to another individual at that time.
For those persons unable to afford the cost of the equipment some sponsorships may be available that will help offset the costs. Information concerning these scholarships may be obtained through the Lee County Sheriff’s Office by contacting Captain Erin Pierce at (334) 737-7101.
Each person accepted into the program will be required to fill out a profile. This profile is kept confidential but can be very helpful in case a person becomes missing. The profile is 5 pages long and is in a zipped file, so it may take a few minutes to download.
Each person accepted into the program is issued a small transmitter device about the size of a watch, powered by a small battery, that is worn on the wrist or ankle. Each transmitter has a specific frequency and is designated to that particular person.
When the Sheriff’s Office is notified that a person wearing a transmitter is missing, specially trained Deputies are dispatched to the area and begin the search. These Deputies have been through the certification class and are qualified to use the equipment. The Deputies are outfitted with radio receivers that are able to pick up the signal from the transmitter worn by the missing person. Once the signal is established, the Deputies are able to narrow the search until the person is located.
Each transmitter has a range of approximately 1 mile, depending on the terrain. It does not matter if a person has wandered into a building or is not visible from the air, the transmitter will continue to emit a signal. The receivers can be placed in vehicles or in an aircraft to help broaden the search area if a signal cannot be established from the beginning point.
In order for a person to be excepted into the program there must be a responsible person available (caregiver) that will agree to the following:
If you have any questions or need assistance with joining Project Lifesaver please feel free to give us a call.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office
1900 Frederick Road Opelika, AL 36801
