Officers get lesson on Project Lifesaver

No one has to sell Sgt. Dale Phillips on the Project Lifesaver program. He said he has had a first-hand view of the merits of the project.

“I know it works,” said Phillips, state coordinator for the project and member of the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

Project Lifesaver was started in 1999 and focuses on helping people suffering from Alzheimer, dementia or are mentally challenged.

Patients are equipped with a battery-operated wristband that projects a radio transmission. A receiver picks up the signal and allows family members or officials to track movement of the patient.

Phillips said more than 1,800 people have been found successfully since the program was launched nearly 10 years ago.

Phillips said it takes an average of 24 minutes to find the patient.

“That’s a lot better than it is now,” said Franklin County Sheriff’s Capt. Mark Swindle.

The Shoals Area Law Enforcement Coalition has been trying for the past year to get the necessary funding to implement the program in northwest Alabama. The coalition is made up of law enforcement agencies from Colbert, Franklin and Lauderdale counties.

Colbert County Sheriff Ronnie May, president of the coalition, said donations and contributions have allowed the group to purchase three receiving units, and city officials in Florence have purchased one.

About 20 officers from law enforcement agencies in the three counties have been going through training during the past two days. They have been shown how the program works and how to use the equipment to track people who are lost.

“Right now, we’ll have one system in Colbert, Franklin and Lauderdale counties and the city of Florence will have one,” May said.

Phillips said 36 counties in the state are already using this program.

“In Tuscaloosa County alone, we’ve had 12 to 14 people go missing, and I’ve seen this work to bring them home,” he said.

Statistics indicate there are 5 million Alzheimer’s patents in the United States, and 50 percent of those will wander off at some point.

Phillips said this program gives caregivers of Alzheimer’s patents “peace of mind.”

“It allows them not to worry as much,” he said. “I had one caregiver who told me now she can take a shower without worrying about her loved one wandering off and getting lost.

“It gives them some comfort. It’s like an insurance plan.”

Coalition officials say the wrist bands cost $250. They said the batteries are $5. The batteries should be changed every 30 days.

May said 20 additional officers must to be trained before the program can begin in northwest Alabama. He said the coalition expects to have the system up and running by the summer.

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@timesdaily.com.