“If they come in missing we dial in their frequency number and we find them that way. Once a month the crews go out and train with the equipment to make sure they and their equipment are up to standards,” said Fultz.The program also keeps tabs on clients’ medical histories and past experiences with wandering so emergency responders are better able to help the person when lost or upon rescue. “Knowing the medical history makes a difference in how we respond and what we are looking for when someone is missing. It helps in the search,” said Todd Harper, Public Information Officer with Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services. Costs for program participants vary from agency to agency, but efforts are made to keep fees to a minimum. There is a $300 start-up fee for new clients served by Project Lifesaver Indianapolis. This covers the cost of the transmitter and a year supply of batteries and bands. Hamilton County is able to cover the cost for its residents.
There are more than 1,200 participating Project Lifesaver agencies in the U.S., Canada and Australia. For more information or to find the Project Lifesaver agency that serves your neighborhood, visit www.projectlifesaver.org or www. projectlifesaverindy.org. Like your local agency on Facebook to stay informed of important updates.
Tips to Help Prevent Wandering Project Lifesaver provides families a peace of mind they cannot create for themselves. Of course no family wants to put the agency’s search and rescue skills to the test. There are ways to make a family home more secure to help prevent a loved one with special needs from escaping. John Fultz, Project Lifesaver Indianapolis Coordinator, and Beth Schweigel, Development Ally with the Autism Society of Indiana, offer a few tips for families:
1.) Install special locks that require a key on all external doors. Place the locks as high as possible.
2.) Place an alarm on all doors and windows that sounds each time one is opened.If necessary, consider nailing windows shut and replace glass with Plexiglas to prevent it from breaking.
3.) Place the person with special needs in a room far away from exits so they must pass others on their way to the exits.
4.) Understand why the child or loved one may wander off. Do they want to get away from something causing them anxiety? Do they have an impulse to always move? Do they not understand they need to tell someone before they leave? Learn why they are at risk and come up with preventative measures specific to the individual. Behavioral therapists may be able to help families with strategies. “As we all know, special needs individuals can be very creative and determined when they want something and learn or figure out ways to get around things that are in their way,” says Schweigel. “Despite our best efforts to prevent their wandering, we need to be prepared for when they do wander. That is where Project Lifesaver comes in. If they do wander, we can find them as quickly and easily as possible.” JANUARY 2013 [ indy’s child ] 39