The Sheriff’s Office Project Lifesaver program serves the needs of Fairfax County children and adults with autism, Down syndrome or cognitive impairment, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. The program utilizes state-of-the-art technologies in conjunction with existing public safety operations for emergency service response to missing persons suffering from disorders that may cause them to chronically wander and not find their way back home.
Project Lifesaver clients are issued a wrist or ankle band that emits a silent radio frequency. When caregivers notify the Sheriff‘s Office that their loved one is missing, specially-trained Sheriff’s deputies respond to the area and conduct a search with equipment designed to locate the transmitter.
After the deputy has affixed the wrist or ankle band, he or she will visit the client approximately every 60 days to replace the transmitter battery and band. Deputies can electronically update client information, such as height and weight, a photograph, medical issues and favorite hiding places without having to rely on-site visits or paper files.