Project Lifesaver
issues first bracelet in Watauga County to help local family
By Melanie Davis Marshall
The Jackson family of Boone became the first participants
in Project Lifesaver Watauga County on March 18 at the Watauga
County Sheriff’s Office.
Capt. Kelly Redmond of the
Watauga County Sheriff’s Office fits a Project Lifesaver
bracelet to Jessie Jackson Photo
by Melanie Davis Marshall
Project Lifesaver is a statewide program affiliated with the N.C.
Rescue Association. The Adult Services Coalition worked to bring
Project Lifesaver to the county in late 2008.
The local program is coordinated through the coalition and Watauga
County Sheriff’s Office.
Project Lifesaver is designed specifically for families living
with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, down syndrome, autism
and related disorders. Individuals with the above disabilities
may be prone to wander or become confused and lost.
Participants in the Project Lifesaver wear a bracelet equipped
with a small transmitter. It is not a GPS tracking device, the
transmitter emits a signal comparable to an FM radio station.
WCSO is equipped with an antenna and mobile receiver that picks
up the signal to help locate the participant.
The signal has a tracking range of up to one mile, though it can
be affected by weather and terrain. According the N.C. Project
Lifesaver Web site, average recovery times are less than 30 minutes.
Since completing the training in Watauga County in November 28,
WCSO had not fitted a participant with a bracelet until last week.
David and Merlie Jackson, parents of Jessi Jackson, 17, have sought
similar devices for several years for their daughter, according
to Merlie.
“We heard Sunday that Project Lifesaver was in Watauga County
and we immediately came to the sheriff’s office on Monday
to sign up,” she said.
Jessi’s diagnosis is unclear, Merlie said. She experiences
delays in motor skills and speech. Jessi uses a Vantage Augmentative
Communication Device to express herself. Doctors continue to attempt
to narrow down a diagnosis.
“She is completely fearless and very friendly,” Merlie
said. The family opted for a Project Lifesaver bracelet as an
insurance policy in case Jessi should wander away.
The local program is lead by Capt. Kelly Redmond of the sheriff’s
office. “It is a small thing for piece of mind,” he
said of the bracelet. “I hope more people take advantage
of this [program]”
A committee of volunteers heads the Watauga Project Lifesavers.
They coordinate volunteers, promote the program and organize fundraisers
to pay for scholarships for the bracelets, which can also be worn
on the ankle.
The initial cost is $275 for the bracelet with a monthly maintenance
fee of $25 to change the battery. The committee was recently awarded
a $1,000 grant from the Boone Service League to fund additional
scholarship for eligible participants.
Currently, Medicare or Medicaid do not cover the costs and insurance
companies would have to consulted by the policy holder.
Participants in the program must live in a private home in Watauga
with a primary caregiver and have a history or the potential of
wandering.
The N.C. Project Lifesavers equipment is compatible with other
similar devices across the nation. If a participant is traveling
and becomes disoriented or lost, contact local law enforcement
to determine if they have a similar program in place.
For more information or to enroll in Project Lifesavers call Redmond
at (828) 264-3761.
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