"Protecting loved ones who wander and bringing peace of mind to families, caregivers, and communities."
Project
Lifesaver is a program that assists families and caregivers of individuals with
Alzheimer's, Autisim, Down Syndrome, Traumatic Brain Injuries, and other related
disabilities. Individuals with these disabilities tend to wander away and
become confused or lost. Before Project Lifesaver, the only option available to
locate these individuals was to conduct an extensive, costly, and potential
lengthy search that often involved hundreds of personnel from local law
enforcement agencies, fire departments, rescue squads, and other volunteers.
These searches could take up several days or even weeks.
Project Lifesaver was established in April 1999 as an initiative of the 43rd Virginia Search and Rescue Company of the Chesapeake, Virginia Sheriff's Office and is built on the Stokes County Mountain Rescue Team (NC) program which pioneered the use of special equipment and procedures to locate lost and wandering patients with mental disorders.
Sgt. Dave Byers
Project Lifesaver Coordinator