| Columbia County Sheriff's Office |
David W. Harrison, Jr., SHERIFF James R. Sweet, UNDERSHERIFF
| Copyright ©2006 Columbia County Sheriff's Office, Hudson, NY 12534 |
SHERIFF ANNOUNCES PROJECT LIFESAVER
January 22, 2009
Columbia County, NY Sheriff David Harrison, Jr. announces that his office in conjunction with the Taconic
Developmental Disabilities Services Office, will be providing Project Lifesaver to Columbia County residents.
Project Lifesaver is a rapid response program that aids victims, (and their families), who wander as a
result of Alzheimer’s, Autism, Down Syndrome or Dementia. It uses state of the art technology and specifically
trained Deputy Sheriff’s to locate those individuals who have wandered and may be lost and otherwise in peril.
Project Lifesaver clients wear a watch type wrist band transmitter which emits a tracking signal. When a
caregiver, parent or guardian reports that someone is missing and may have wandered away, a search team from
the Sheriff’s Office responds to the area of last contact. Even while responding, the Sheriff’s Office has the ability
to monitor for the tracking signal from a specially equipped Sheriff’s patrol vehicle. When arriving in the area of
last contact, a hand held directional unit will be used for further search of areas not assessable by vehicle.
Program Lifesaver is provided to Columbia County residents as a result of a partnership established
between the Sheriff’s Office and the Taconic Developmental Disabilities Services Office which is a regional office
for the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. The program is financed
through funds obtained by that office for these types of programs.
The wrist bands are issued free of charge by the Taconic Developmental Disabilities Services Office, to
those who qualify. Anyone interested in the program should contact that office at 845-473-5050 and ask for
Project Lifesaver Coordinator. If a person does not qualify for a free wrist band, they may still participate in the
program by purchasing one.
The Columbia County Sheriffs Office is one of only 10 agencies in New York State, and the only agency
in the immediate area to participate in the program. There are currently seven Deputy Sheriff’s trained in the
operation of the electronic tracking devices and more will be trained in the near future. Program Lifesaver greatly
increases the ability of the Sheriffs Office to find someone who may be disoriented and has wandered and may be
lost, and return them safely to their family or caregiver. The program has already proven to find people who
wander quicker then utilizing standard search techniques.
Sheriff Harrison feels that this program is an important addition to public safety efforts in Columbia
County, especially for those people who wander and their families and caregivers. He thanks the representatives
of the Taconic Developmental Disabilities Services Office, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office for providing training
and the support given by the Columbia County Board of Supervisors for the program.
January 22, 2009
Columbia County, NY Sheriff David Harrison, Jr. announces that his office in conjunction with the Taconic
Developmental Disabilities Services Office, will be providing Project Lifesaver to Columbia County residents.
Project Lifesaver is a rapid response program that aids victims, (and their families), who wander as a
result of Alzheimer’s, Autism, Down Syndrome or Dementia. It uses state of the art technology and specifically
trained Deputy Sheriff’s to locate those individuals who have wandered and may be lost and otherwise in peril.
Project Lifesaver clients wear a watch type wrist band transmitter which emits a tracking signal. When a
caregiver, parent or guardian reports that someone is missing and may have wandered away, a search team from
the Sheriff’s Office responds to the area of last contact. Even while responding, the Sheriff’s Office has the ability
to monitor for the tracking signal from a specially equipped Sheriff’s patrol vehicle. When arriving in the area of
last contact, a hand held directional unit will be used for further search of areas not assessable by vehicle.
Program Lifesaver is provided to Columbia County residents as a result of a partnership established
between the Sheriff’s Office and the Taconic Developmental Disabilities Services Office which is a regional office
for the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. The program is financed
through funds obtained by that office for these types of programs.
The wrist bands are issued free of charge by the Taconic Developmental Disabilities Services Office, to
those who qualify. Anyone interested in the program should contact that office at 845-473-5050 and ask for
Project Lifesaver Coordinator. If a person does not qualify for a free wrist band, they may still participate in the
program by purchasing one.
The Columbia County Sheriffs Office is one of only 10 agencies in New York State, and the only agency
in the immediate area to participate in the program. There are currently seven Deputy Sheriff’s trained in the
operation of the electronic tracking devices and more will be trained in the near future. Program Lifesaver greatly
increases the ability of the Sheriffs Office to find someone who may be disoriented and has wandered and may be
lost, and return them safely to their family or caregiver. The program has already proven to find people who
wander quicker then utilizing standard search techniques.
Sheriff Harrison feels that this program is an important addition to public safety efforts in Columbia
County, especially for those people who wander and their families and caregivers. He thanks the representatives
of the Taconic Developmental Disabilities Services Office, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office for providing training
and the support given by the Columbia County Board of Supervisors for the program.
