VILLAS – Lower Township Council voted Mon. March 5 to donate funds to purchase five Project Lifesaver radio bracelets used to locate wandering patients of Alzheimer’s disease and other disorders.
Ward Two Councilman Walter Craig suggested township councils fund five bracelets. He said several years ago, a township resident disappeared from her home causing a huge search using 200-250 volunteers along with police and fire personnel.
Craig said had the woman had a Project Lifesaver bracelet, she would have been quickly located. She was found alive but cold the next morning.
In addition, Township Clerk Claudia Kammer and Township Manager Michael Voll each donated a unit bringing the total to seven.
The bracelets are each valued at $350.
Sheriff’s Officer Paul Shelton presented certificates of appreciation to Township Council, Kammer and Voll. He said the program operates by donations and the county has a growing senior population with cognitive disorders as well as children with Autism.
Shelton said an individual wearing one of the bracelets was located within eight minutes last week.
According to Project Lifesaver, over 5 million people in the USA have Alzheimer’s disease. That number will triple by 2050. Well over 50 percent of those patients wander and become lost.
Nearly half of them will die and many can become injured or fall victim to predators if they are not located within 24 hours.
Project Lifesaver relies on proven radio technology and a specially trained search rescue teams. People who are part of the Project Lifesaver program wear a personalized wristband that emits a tracking signal.
Each municipal police department is given a list of clients in their jurisdiction. Caregivers are advised to notify their local police department that the person is missing by dialing 911.
Each police department has been given a copy of procedures to follow and to contact the Sheriff’s Office. A search and rescue team is then dispatched to respond to the wanderer’s area and begin searching with a mobile locator tracking system. Search times have been reduced from hours and days to minutes.
All contributions made to Project Lifesaver are tax deductible and are used directly for the program operations including rescues, equipment and education. For additional information contact Sheriff’s Officer Paul Shelton at (609) 465-6831. or email at pshelton@cmcsheriff.net
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