Sussex County: Project Lifesaver
Project Lifesaver Demonstration
The Sussex County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Sparta Police Department conducted a Project Life Saver presentation at Station Park in Sparta Township on Wednesday, May 29, 2019.
The Sussex County Sheriff’s Office has participated with Project Lifesaver since 2004 in an effort to provide enhanced support and assistance to Sussex County residents who are primary caregivers for individuals with Alzheimer’s, dementia, autism, Down syndrome or related cognitive disorders.
Project Lifesaver utilizes SafetyNet by LoJack, a tracking system which assists law enforcement in quickly locating individuals who have wandered. Implemented nationwide by more than one thousand agencies, the Project Lifesaver program has reduced search time from days down to an average of thirty minutes with no serious injuries or fatalities reported.
The Sussex County Sheriff’s Office currently has 28 clients on the program with ages ranging from 3 years old to 90 years old.
How does Project Lifesaver work?
Your loved one wears a battery-operated waterproof transmitter bracelet on his/her wrist or ankle. The transmitter emits a signal that sheriff’s officers can track in the event that someone goes missing. Trained sheriff’s officers will be sent to your residence monthly to change the battery and check that the transmitter is functioning properly. In addition, the caregiver will be required to check the transmitter’s battery at least once per day with a special tester that will be provided.
Who is eligible?
Adults and children who wander or may wander due to Alzheimer’s, autism, and other related conditions or disorders are all eligible for Project Lifesaver. The prospective client must be a resident of Sussex County, must have a 24-hour caregiver and must be willing to wear the transmitter at all times.
What is the cost?
The initial set up fee which includes all the necessary equipment is $275.00 and the monthly maintenance fee is $10.00. At this time, all fees are waived and the program is being provided to citizens at no charge.
How do we enroll?
Download and complete our enrollment package, which can be found on our website at www.sussexcountysheriff.com which consists of an instruction sheet, detailed application and contract. The latter two documents should be filled out by the caregiver and returned to the sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s office will then review the application and once approved, you will be contacted to schedule a date and time from the program administrator to meet with you and your family. At that meeting, the contract will be signed, the bracelet will be installed and the caregiver will receive instruction about the equipment and how to test it daily.
Sheriff Strada stated, “We are glad to be able to provide this valuable program to those in need. Working in conjunction with local municipal and state law enforcement allows us to utilize this tool to keep the citizens of Sussex County safe should a loved one wander.”
To download a copy of this article, click here: Sussex County – Project Lifesaver Project
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