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Clark County Sheriff's Office gets new tool to find missing people

Springfield News-Sun - 11/15/2019

Nov. 15--The Clark County Sheriff's Office has a new tool that will make it easier to find residents with cognitive impairments who have wandered away.

The sheriff's office received a $5,000 grant from the Alzheimer's Foundation of America for Project Lifesaver. The grant will allow the office to equip Clark County residents with autism, Alzheimer's, dementia or other cognitive impairments with a wristband transmitter. Should the resident wander off, Clark County Sheriff Deborah Burchett said, deputies will be able to quickly find the person.

"We had no way to find people besides going out, walking around and trying to find them," Burchett said. "We wanted to come up with something to help us be able to go out and find them quicker. This will give the caregivers some peace of mind."

Through the use of the new technology, individuals enrolled in the no-fee program will wear a

personalized wristband that emits a tracking signal. If the individual wanders and caregivers call 911, trained sheriff's deputies will begin search and rescue efforts using a mobile locator tracking system.

Since each bracelet has a unique radio frequency, search teams are able to positively locate and identify the missing person, reducing search times from hours and days to just minutes.

The equipment is a gamechanger, Burchett said.

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"We are very, very excited about this program," she said. "If we can go out and find someone quickly and get them back to their loved ones and help out their caregivers in any way, that's what matters to us the most."

Those who wish to participate in the program can do so by contacting Wendy Holt at wholt@clarkcountyohio.gov. To be eligible, clients must live in Clark County, have a cognitive impairment, have a history of wandering, have a 24-hour caregiver and agree to wear the wristband transmitter at all times.

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