BRUNSWICK: An electronic tracking device has a 100 percent success rate in locating people who have wandered off, including Alzheimer’s patients, and children and young adults who have autism.
Brunswick is one of only a handful of cities in Ohio using the new technology. It is provided free to residents who request it to protect a family member who might be prone to wandering away.
The family member wears a wrist or ankle bracelet which contains a small transmitter. Should they go missing, a search team from the Brunswick Police and Fire Departments arrives with a special antenna which can track their signal up to a mile.
“It gives you an electronic footprint to follow of someone who has wandered off” is how Officer Charles Weber of the Brunswick Police Department descibed the “Project Lifesaver” device during a demonstration for WKYC.
“Instead of having to call in a number of people and resources to come in to do a random search, you’re actually following a direct path,” Weber explained.
“It’s a low band frequency that’s emitted from the transmitters. It will give you a general direction of where you need to go.”
Several families in Brunswick are taking part in the program, which is free to residents, and is supported by donations from community groups and individuals.
“Our first client was an autistic child, and when we were leaving their house after the initial attachment, his Mom looked up at us and said, ‘Thank God, I can sleep tonight,’” said Emil Stecki, a volunteer who coordinates the program for Brunswick.
Laura Martz got an ankle bracelet for her son, Keith, who is 20 and has autism
. She says Keith has a history of just taking off and running before anyone can catch up with him.
“One time we were running for him for almost 20 minutes,” she recalled. ”He was running across a four-lane highway on the street, and I think angels were with him that day because he made it safely across.”
Since Keith has been outfitted with the mini-transmitter, his mother feels more secure in case of another incident.
“When we go out somewhere, the peace of mind is knowing that if he does run, he will be found,” she told WKYC.
Each mini-transmitter costs about $300, and monthly battery replacements cost about $10. Emil Stecki says community organizations in Brunswick have been very generous in taking the financial burden away from the families.
“We’ve received donations from the Brunswick Eagles Club, from the Medina Fund, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, the Hands Foundation in Medina County, and others who wanted to be part of the funding process for our equipment,” Stecki said.
Brunswick Police say the devices help them do their job more effectively and have gone over well with the residents who so far have requested them.
“It helps out immensely with helping to locate their family members,” Weber said. “And it gives caregivers the peace of mind that there is more technology out there that can bring us to their loved ones, help us find their loved ones, and bring them home safely.”
Nationally, 2,133 searches have taken place using the Project Lifesaver equipment. In every case, the missing person was found safely in under one hour.
© 2010 WKYC-TV
Brunswick: Tracking device protects Alzheimer’s patients, autistic
BRUNSWICK: An electronic tracking device has a 100 percent success rate in locating people who have wandered off, including Alzheimer’s patients, and children and young adults who have autism.
Brunswick is one of only a handful of cities in Ohio using the new technology. It is provided free to residents who request it to protect a family member who might be prone to wandering away.
The family member wears a wrist or ankle bracelet which contains a small transmitter. Should they go missing, a search team from the Brunswick Police and Fire Departments arrives with a special antenna which can track their signal up to a mile.
“It gives you an electronic footprint to follow of someone who has wandered off” is how Officer Charles Weber of the Brunswick Police Department descibed the “Project Lifesaver” device during a demonstration for WKYC.
“Instead of having to call in a number of people and resources to come in to do a random search, you’re actually following a direct path,” Weber explained.
“It’s a low band frequency that’s emitted from the transmitters. It will give you a general direction of where you need to go.”
Several families in Brunswick are taking part in the program, which is free to residents, and is supported by donations from community groups and individuals.
“Our first client was an autistic child, and when we were leaving their house after the initial attachment, his Mom looked up at us and said, ‘Thank God, I can sleep tonight,’” said Emil Stecki, a volunteer who coordinates the program for Brunswick.
Laura Martz got an ankle bracelet for her son, Keith, who is 20 and has autism
. She says Keith has a history of just taking off and running before anyone can catch up with him.
“One time we were running for him for almost 20 minutes,” she recalled. ”He was running across a four-lane highway on the street, and I think angels were with him that day because he made it safely across.”
Since Keith has been outfitted with the mini-transmitter, his mother feels more secure in case of another incident.
“When we go out somewhere, the peace of mind is knowing that if he does run, he will be found,” she told WKYC.
Each mini-transmitter costs about $300, and monthly battery replacements cost about $10. Emil Stecki says community organizations in Brunswick have been very generous in taking the financial burden away from the families.
“We’ve received donations from the Brunswick Eagles Club, from the Medina Fund, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, the Hands Foundation in Medina County, and others who wanted to be part of the funding process for our equipment,” Stecki said.
Brunswick Police say the devices help them do their job more effectively and have gone over well with the residents who so far have requested them.
“It helps out immensely with helping to locate their family members,” Weber said. “And it gives caregivers the peace of mind that there is more technology out there that can bring us to their loved ones, help us find their loved ones, and bring them home safely.”
Nationally, 2,133 searches have taken place using the Project Lifesaver equipment. In every case, the missing person was found safely in under one hour.
© 2010 WKYC-TV
http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/news_article.aspx?storyid=137316&catid=3