Sheriff's Office Launches Project Lifesaver

Individuals with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, or other brain-related disorders can enroll in a program called Project Lifesaver.

By doing so, individuals agree to wear a personalized wristband 24 hours a day. The wristband emits a tracking signal so when caregivers notify authorities that the person is missing, responders can start searching with a mobile location tracking system.

"When we receive a call that a person who is suffering from a medical condition has wandered off, many times it takes hours and sometimes days to locate them – but with the assistance of the Project Lifesaver device, we will be able to cut that time down to minutes in many cases," Paxton said during a news conference.

Officially launched on Wednesday by the sheriff's office, Forsyth County is one of only three North Georgia counties that will be using the program.

"We are excited about launching Project Lifesaver in Forsyth County," said Sheriff Ted Paxton. "We believe it is going to be of great assistance to those in our community who are living with these medical issues.

To be accepted in the program, individuals must meet the criteria of having a confirmed, medically diagnosed condition that causes them to wander, and have a caretaker that has direct contact with them daily.

Project Lifesaver has performed 2,487 searches in the last 11 years with more than 1,200 participating agencies across the United States, Canada, and Australia, according to its Web site.