Project Lifesaver Uses Old School RF To Bring Loved Ones Home

By John Oncea, Editor

Project Lifesaver’s mission is to provide timely responses to save lives and reduce potential injury for adults and children who tend to wander due to a cognitive condition. Technology is an important part of the solution, including good old-fashioned radio frequency.

On April 16, Brian Gray-Hicks went for a walk near his Clinton, Ontario home. “Our Brian usually goes for a walk every day. Most days he goes in the mornings,” said his guardian, Barbara Hicks, according to CTV News.

Gray-Hicks – who has Down syndrome, is hard of hearing, and is largely non-verbal – didn’t come home at his expected time leading his guardian to call 911. “They located him just in time. He had wandered onto some private property, and two dogs were being aggressive with him. And he was very emotional and scared,” Huron OPP Community Services Officer Craig Soldan said.

About four months later in Brockville, Ontario, police received a call around 5:30 p.m. regarding an elderly male diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, who was missing from his residence in the central area of the city, according to Hometown TV12. The client was located in the area of Highway 2, East of Brockville less than an hour after police were notified. When located he was with a passerby who assisted as they had concerns for the male as he appeared lost.

Both men, along with 4,341 other individuals, were found using technology supplied by Project Lifesaver International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the search and rescue of individuals prone to wandering due to cognitive conditions such as Autism, Alzheimer’s, and Dementia. Founded in 1999 in Chesapeake, VA, the organization has grown from a local initiative to an internationally recognized program.

Project Lifesaver In A Nutshell

Project Lifesaver is a proactive program that encompasses many areas to enhance rescue probabilities; it is not just about the equipment. That said, it does employ state-of-the-art locating technologies to prevent wandering and recover individuals quickly if they elope. The organization continuously invests in research and development to ensure the effectiveness of its technology.

The program uses specially designed search and rescue methods tailored for individuals with cognitive conditions. These methods, when applied by trained first responders, enable efficient and effective rescues.

In addition, first responders are provided with training to understand cognitive conditions. This training equips them with the necessary skills to manage the safe and comfortable return of an eloped individual.

Project Lifesaver has significantly reduced search times for missing individuals. Certified agencies report average recovery times of about 30 minutes, which is 95% faster than standard search operations without Project Lifesaver. The organization operates internationally and collaborates with various public safety agencies, including police, fire departments, and search and rescue teams.

Public safety agencies such as Sheriff’s Offices, Police Departments, Fire Departments, and Assisted Living Facilities can join Project Lifesaver by submitting a Letter of Intent. The program offers different types of transmitters with 30-day and 60-day battery options, ensuring reliability and regular community interaction. Families can enroll their loved ones in the program, providing them with an additional layer of protection. The program is often funded through grants, sponsorships, and donations, making it accessible to many without significant financial burden.

The Technology Behind Project Lifesaver

Project Lifesaver primarily uses Radio Frequency (RF) technology for its locating systems with clients wearing small, lightweight transmitters on their wrists or ankles. “Even though it’s older VHF radio frequency technology, Project Lifesaver is more dependable than GPS, especially in dense, wooded areas,” CTV News writes. “That’s because most remote areas, where people typically go missing, won’t have a cell phone or GPS signal at all.”

“So, with radio frequency, it’s actually better, more accurate, even though it’s older technology,” adds Soldan.

The transmitters – which come in different band sizes, materials, and textures to accommodate various sensory needs – emit a unique radio frequency signal every second, 24 hours a day that can be tracked on the ground or in the air over several miles by search teams using mobile locator tracking systems.

Project Lifesaver’s transmitters come with either a 30-day or 60-day battery. This is to ensure that the battery is checked regularly, with daily battery checks to ensure peak performance. The company chose not to offer a 6-month battery to avoid a “set it and forget it” mentality that ultimately leads to equipment malfunctions and missed community connections.

RF was chosen because it does not rely on satellites or cell phone towers to function unlike GPS or assisted GPS systems. This independence makes it more dependable in areas where other technologies might fail. In addition, RF provides strong and accurate signals that are minimally affected by physical obstructions or weather conditions making it highly dependable for locating individuals in various environments.

When a client goes missing, search teams can quickly deploy and use RF technology to locate the individual. The average recovery time is less than 30 minutes, which is significantly faster than traditional search methods.

Project Lifesaver's choice of RF technology over GPS or other alternatives is based on its proven reliability, accuracy, and effectiveness in quickly locating individuals who have wandered, particularly in challenging environments where other technologies might fail.

Click here to find out if the Project Lifesaver program is available in your community.