San Andreas, CA…The Calaveras County Sheriff’s department has teamed up with Project Lifesaver to provide a means to help persons with cognitive challenges be located when they are missing.

Project Lifesaver is a non-profit organization that provides rapid response to save lives and reduce potential injury for adults and children who wander due to Alzheimer’s, autism, Down syndrome, dementia, and other related cognitive conditions. The program utilizes tracking technology, usually in the form of a wearable wristband or anklet equipped with a radio transmitter, to help locate individuals who may wander away from home or caregivers.

Here’s how it typically works:

Enrollment: Individuals at risk of wandering are enrolled in the program. This includes fitting them with a small transmitter device that emits a unique frequency signal.

Monitoring: Caregivers or family members are responsible for monitoring the individual wearing the transmitter. They are trained on how to use the tracking equipment.

Tracking: If the individual wanders off, caregivers can notify the local Project Lifesaver agency, which activates a search and rescue team equipped with receivers to track the frequency emitted by the transmitter.

Rescue: Once the individual is located, the search and rescue team can quickly intervene to ensure their safety and well-being.

Project Lifesaver has been successful in reducing search times and increasing the likelihood of a safe return for individuals who wander. It operates in many communities across the United States and in some other countries as well.