Arlington County Police are touting their use of LoJack technology to locate an Alzheimer’s patient who wandered away from his home yesterday.
It’s the first such use of the county’s new Project Life Saver – LoJack Safety Net system. The system’s implementation was first announced last summer.
More information about Project Life Saver is available here.
The police department just issued the following press release.
ARLINGTON, VA. – The Arlington County Police Department is pleased to announce the successful use of Project Life Saver – LoJack Safety Net to locate an elderly man last night.
At approximately 5:30 p.m., police were called to the 1500 block of North Danville Street for an elderly man missing for over six hours. An 85 year-old man, suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, walked away from his home around 11 am. His family just enrolled him in the Project Lifesaver Program three days ago. Once police officers arrived, they activated the tracking system and the victim was located within fifteen minutes. This time period is especially important in frigid temperatures.
Project Life Saver – LoJack Safety Net is designed to track and rescue those with cognitive conditions who tend to wander. This service answers a critical need for protecting people at risk of wandering, including those with Alzheimer’s, autism, Down syndrome and dementia. Eleven Arlington County Police Officers are certified as Electronic Search Specialists and Electronic Search Instructors through Project Lifesaver International.
Clients enrolled in the service will wear a wrist-watch sized radio transmitter on their wrist or ankle. The transmitter constantly emits a Radio Frequency signal, which can be tracked regardless of where the person has wandered – even into a densely wooded area, a marsh, a concrete structure such as a garage, or a building constructed with steel. When a loved one goes missing, caregivers notify locally trained agencies and they are dispatched to the wanderer’s area.
This service is available immediately. Families and caregivers can enroll their loved ones by contacting Project Life Saver – LoJack Safety Net at 877-434-6384.