The Watauga County Sheriff’s Office hosted Project Lifesaver training this week.

All local law enforcement agencies were invited to chose representatives to attend the training, funded though the North Carolina Project Lifesaver Specialized Talk Force.

The program is designed to help protect individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Down syndrome, autism and related disorders.

Such people can be prone to wander away from home, becoming confused and lost, officials said.

Participants in the Project Lifesaver program wear a bracelet equipped with a small transmitter. Law enforcement agencies then use a device to track the signal to locate the person. Average recovery times are less than 30 minutes.

The bracelet, which can be worn on the wrist or ankle, is not a GPS system. The bracelet emits a radio frequency similar to an FM station.

Search teams and law enforcement agencies are equipped with mobile locater that tunes into the frequency.

The signal has a tracking range of up to one mile. Weather and terrain can affect the tracking range. In a clear field the signal will go father than a mile. In densely wooden areas, the signal may by cut to a half mile.

The Project Lifesaver training is designed to help law enforcement with specialized search techniques, the use of the radio transmitter and receiver equipment, and dealing with special needs individuals.

Project Lifesaver is a non-profit organization that provides the training at no charge and staff members are available 24 hours of day to assist in missing persons incidents.

The initial cost for the bracelet equipment is $280 with a monthly maintenance fee of $25. At this time Medicare or Medicaid do not cover these costs. Private insurance companies would have to be consulted.

Participants in the program should be living in a private home in the county with a primary caregiver and have a history or the potential of wandering.

The Adult Services Coalition in Watauga County worked to bring Project Lifesaver to the area. Fundraising to help offset the costs of the program, equipment, awareness and bracelet scholarships, is being coordinated through the coalition.

The first community fundraiser was held on Dec. 2 at Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock.

The holiday shopping event consisted of various vendors, each of which will donate a percentage of their proceeds.

For more information on Project Lifesaver, visit www.ncpltaskforce.org, or call Ellen J. Harrell of Appalachian Home Care at (828) 898-9233.