Project Lifesaver is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1999 by Gene Saunders from Chesapeake, VA. The program was designed to assist locating lost people that have wandered due to Alzheimer's, Autism, Downs Syndrome and other dementia related disorders. To date there have been 966 people found not only in the US but Canada and Australia as well.
In 2004 Warren County received a grant to initiate the program. The lifesaver program was designed to enable the client to wear a small transmitter attached to the wrist or ankle. The transmitter emits a a radio transmission signal which can be tracked with a receiver that has a mile of tracking distance. In order to keep the signal strong, every 30 days the battery needs to be changed. An officer from the county visits the client every month to change batteries on the transmitter and to check the band and case. All clients are photographed and a packet is compiled of physical descriptions, address, medical history and any other wandering tendencies. The compiled packet is given to the municipality where the client resides to better assist in search procedures.
To enroll in the program a potential client must reside with a caregiver (family member, spouse, friend). The caregiver must fill out a contract and application to determine if the program is suitable for the loved one. If interested, there is a $265.00 fee to start the program and a $15.00 monthly maintenance fee for battery replacement.
Anyone interested in enrolling can contact Home Instead Senior Care of Hunterdon and Warren Counties 908-788-6705, 908-835-1400. For those families needing assistance; Home Instead Senior Care will donate $25.00 toward your enrollment fee. Interested individuals may also contact Project Lifesaver Headquarters by phone 757-546-5502 or on the web
www.ProjectLifesaver.org or by contacting Sheriff Sal Simonetti or Under Sheriff Frank Stettner at The Warren County Sheriff's Department at 908-475-6365.
Hunterdon County Residents
This program is available to Hunterdon County Residents through the Hunterdon County Sheriff's Office.
For those interested, please contact George Muller, Project Lifesaver Coordinator at (908) 788 - 1166.
The Warren County Lifesaver Project is still looking for donations and is not yet fully active.
Please contact Home Instead Senior Care to sign up for Project Lifesaver if you reside in Warren County.
