By John A. DeFrancisco
NYS Senate Majority Leader
May is designated as Older Americans Month, so I wanted to take this opportunity to remind the public about a life-saving program in our community that is of great benefit to our elderly and vulnerable, especially those living with dementia-type disorders. It’s called Project Lifesaver. Individuals enrolled in Project Lifesaver wear a small transmitter around their wrist that emits a tracking signal every second, 24 hours a day. If a person wearing this transmitter goes missing, a trained emergency team can respond quickly to help locate, save and reduce potential serious injury.
Since most individuals who wander are found within a few miles from home, recovery times for Project Lifesaver clients average about 30 minutes. Recently, it was reported in the local news that a missing elderly woman was successfully located in the village of Liverpool, thanks to the help of this important tracking device.
Project Lifesaver became a reality in Central New York in 2006 when Onondaga County Undersheriff Warren Darby teamed up with Ruth Boshart, a community member whose husband had wandered off. The two visited my office to ask for my support, and I was pleased to help secure a state grant to assist the sheriff’s department in starting up the program. The funding was used to help purchase new equipment and transmitters for patients and receivers. Today, about 100 people are enrolled in Project Lifesaver in Onondaga County, providing local families with the resources they need to protect their loved ones, as well as peace of mind.
If you would like more information about Project Lifesaver, you can call the Community Relations Unit of the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office at 435-3006. You may also visit my senate website at defrancisco.nysenate.gov.
