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Nationally successful lifesaver program comes to Suffolk
The technology is a battery operated transmitter in the form of a bracelet with an automatic tracking signal that will help locate those patients who wander from the security of their homes. It is part of a program adopted in Suffolk County called Project Lifesaver. "This program has been very successful," said Sheriff Nuwby of the City of Chesapeake, which implemented the program in 1999 and now has 1,200 clients using the bracelet-like device. Chesapeake was the first to initiate the program, which has been copied by 500 jurisdictions, including Suffolk, in 50 states and in other countries. "We're very pleased that this program has expanded," he said. "We're international now."
The Sheriff 's office maintains the GPS locator system that tracks the individual. Once the client is located the local police or other law enforcement agency in that jurisdiction is contacted and picks up the individual. Both agencies work hand in hand to get those individual's home as quickly as possible. "If a client is missing, the first thing the caregiver should do is contact 9-1-1," said Sgt. Robert Behrle of the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office. "Once that is done, the program is set into motion." In addition to the security the program provides to those afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease, and their families, use of the device also saves law enforcement agencies time and money. It is estimated that it costs an average of $1,500 an hour at a minimum of 9 hours to respond and resolve a call to police for assistance on a missing Alzheimer's patient. Today, 5 million Americans have the disease, and that figure is expected to triple by 2050, as the population ages. The monthly cost for the agency per transmitter in the field is about $8.75, according to the program's website. This covers the cost of the replacement battery and band. In some communities, organizations such as fraternal and service groups have helped offset some of the costs for the clients and their families when the costs are prohibitive for them. People diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease have been known to wander away from the security of their homes and travel great distances. "Some individuals have even boarded planes and trains," said Nuwby. In addition, the program can be used for children with autism, Downe Syndrome and the hearing impaired. Since its inception in Chesapeake, Project Lifesaver has recovered all of its clients alive and well within a 30-minute window. Suffolk County adopted the program in February 2007. So far it has been off to a tough start because of technical difficulties, however. "Suffolk County has experienced interference from New York City and digital television, which interferes with the frequency of the transmitter reception," explained Behrle. "All the transmitters have since been sent back and have been replaced." Suffolk hopes to get the program up and running soon, and is reaching out to the public for families who want to access the program.
To become part of the program, caregivers should contact the Suffolk County Sheriff 's office at (631) 852-2205. You can also sign up for it on the internet at www.project-lifesaver.org. Once signed up, the bracelets are ordered and delivered to the families.
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