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Two programs – a local one that is establishing itself and a state program that awaits legislative approval – both come with the same goal of helping families and caregivers bring missing loved ones home.
A.11614 was introduced in the state Assembly earlier this year by Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, D-Schenectady, after a June search for 7-year-old Harbe Nagi, an autistic and nonverbal boy who wandered away from a family gathering on Park Drive in Menands. The legislation would create a secure, voluntary statewide registry where individuals, parents, legal guardians and caregivers could choose to provide important emergency information before a crisis occurs in an effort to give first responders a faster start locating individuals who may not be able to communicate with first responders, identify themselves or safely find their way home during an emergency. This includes many children and adults with autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, dementia, traumatic brain injuries and other conditions that increase the risk of wandering or becoming lost.
Project Lifesaver, meanwhile, is a Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office program that provides aid for search and rescue teams by fitting clients with a bracelet that emits a specific frequency deputies can locate utilizing a special tracking antenna. The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s office currently has two certified deputy sheriffs who are trained in locating and equipping clients with the bracelets. The client and family will be interviewed by the program deputy, and the deputy will be permanently assigned to the client and will be responsible for battery installation and technical issues.
A kit that contains the wrist/leg device and all the equipment needed for its operation costs $400. The radio transmitter can work as a wristwatch or on the ankle. The transmitter constantly emits a signal (which the wearer doesn’t hear). It can be tracked regardless of where the person has wandered – even into a densely wooded area, a marsh, a concrete structure such as a garage, or a building constructed with steel. When a loved one goes missing, caregivers notify locally trained agencies, and they are dispatched to the wanderer’s area. The average rescue time remains around 30 minutes. So far, the county's program is free thanks to fundraising and community outreach efforts led by Sgt. Kris Gustafson – though more funding will be needed as the program grows.
Nothing can happen with Santabarbara's proposal until next year, though we think it should move through the legislative process quickly. Project Lifesaver is looking for financial support in the form of donations and support from a state grant.
Two programs share one goal – resolve situations that could quickly become tragic. In our opinion both deserve the support their backers are seeking.