Clarkstown Accepting Applications for 'Project Lifesaver'

Clarkstown is accepting applications from local families and caregivers who want to become part of Project Lifesaver, according to Town Clerk David Carlucci.

Project Lifesaver is a public safety program designed to use technology in assisting emergency service workers and those who care for individuals with cognitive disabilities, such as Alzheimer's disease or Autism, and who become missing due to wandering.

The Project Lifesaver program places personalized radio transmitters on identified persons who may wander away from the safety of their homes. These transmitters assist caregivers and local emergency agencies in locating the missing person. Each transmitter emits a unique pulse-carrier wave radio frequency tracking signal.

When a participant of the program is reported missing, local police departments can contact specially trained Project Lifesaver search and rescue teams from the Clarkstown Police Department to respond to the missing person's area with a mobile locator tracking system. This reduces search time, which can make a difference between safe return and serious injury.

For more information visit www.clarkstownclerk.com for frequently asked questions.  If you are interested in enrolling in Project Lifesaver, complete the enrollment application. The enrollment application is available online at www.clarkstownclerk.com or you can get a copy at the Clarkstown Town Clerk's office, 10 Maple Ave., New City. For further information, contact the Clarkstown Town Clerk's Office at 845-639-2010.

There is a $300 fee to join the program, and in the second year and beyond there is a $10 per month fee, which covers replacement of batteries for the radio signal bracelets used in the program.

The emergency search funtions of the program are operated by the Clarkstown Police Department, with the application process and related administrative tasks being handled by the Town Clerk's Office.

Clarkstown used money from seizures of property and cash from local criminal cases to pay for purchase of necessary equipment and the training of police personnel. The New City Rotary Club has donated funds to cover the use of five Project Lifesaver bracelets by individuals who cannot afford the program's initial fee.