Members

The Colonial Heights Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, and Fire / EMS have joined forces to bring the citizens of Colonial Heights Project Lifesaver. This was accomplished through the appropriation of city funds and a grant from the Cameron Foundation. May 7-9, 2007 thirteen members of the Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, and Fire / EMS were certified as electronic search specialists by Project Lifesaver. In addition, five police officers were certified as trainers and will be able to train additional members of the Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, and Fire / EMS in the future to increase the number of certified electronic search specialists in Colonial Heights. If you would like to join Project Lifesaver please fill out a application.

About the Program

You may ask yourself “What is Project Lifesaver?” Project Lifesaver was established in April 1999, by the 43rd Search and Rescue Company in the Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office. Project Lifesaver’s mission is to use state of the art technology in assisting those who care for victims of Alzheimer’s and other Related Mental Dysfunction Disorders and victims who become lost. Project Lifesaver is an active system that relies on electronic technology and a specially trained search and rescue team. The Project Lifesaver wristband is a one-ounce battery operated radio wrist / ankle transmitter with a 30 plus day battery life that emits an automatic tracking signal every second, 24 hours a day. The signal can be tracked from the ground or in the air over several miles. People who are enrolled in the Project Lifesaver Program wear a personalized wrist / ankle band that emits a tracking signal on an individually assigned frequency. When a caregiver notifies the Colonial Heights Emergency Communication Center that the person is missing, a search and rescue team responds to the client’s area and starts searching with the mobile locator tracking system.

Goals for Project Lifesaver

The goals of the Colonial Heights Project Lifesaver Program are:

• Provide a proactive response to locating wandering individuals before they fall victim to the weather conditions or accidents.
• Promote peace of mind and assurance to the families caring for Alzheimer’s disease and Related Mental Dysfunction Disorders.
• Save resources and money that are required to conduct searches.

Participants

The Colonial Heights Project Lifesaver Program is geared toward families who are currently providing home healthcare to their loved ones. To participate; at no cost for the first 50 clients, the client must live in the City of Colonial Heights; be diagnosed as having Alzheimer’s disease, other dementia disorders, autism, Down’s syndrome or similar disorder; and be known to wander away from caregivers.

For additional information concerning the Colonial Heights Project Lifesaver Program, contact the coordinator SGT Renee Walters at (804) 520-9306.