Print |
E-mail to a friend
PUTNAM NEWS
Project Lifesaver helps track individuals
WINFIELD, W.Va. -- The Putnam County Sheriff's Department is partnering with Project Lifesaver to obtain equipment used for tracking at-risk individuals who might wander off.
Sheriff Mark Smith said his office has received a $6,000 grant that will be used to obtain start-up equipment including a mobile locator tracking system and two transmitter bracelets from Project Lifesaver, a Virginia-based company. The primary purpose of the equipment is to track rather than monitor, but is said to cut recovery time to an average of less than 30 minutes per incident rather than hours or days often spent by community search teams in recovery situations.
Smith said it will be a few months until the service will be in full swing, as his staff will require training, along with the development of service criteria and a selection process to determine appropriate candidates for the project.
Once the service is operational, Smith said he intends to spend $3,000 toward the purchase of 10 additional bracelets. The $300 per bracelet cost also includes a year's supply of batteries and wrist straps.
Anticipating that there may be those in the county interested in the service beyond the 12 bracelets that will initially be available, Smith says the department will consider working with families who may want to purchase a bracelet at their own expense. A low service fee will also be applied, though the amount has not yet been determined.
West Virginia currently has 16 counties participating in this program. The Wood County Sheriff's Department, first trained in 2005, is designated as the state's training coordinator. With Cabell and Kanawha counties already having the service in place, Ohio, Putnam, Randolph and Tucker counties are expected to join by the end of this year. Wood County authorities hope to have all West Virginia counties participating by 2012.
Since being established in 1999, Project Lifesaver International has responded to more than 1,500 recovery efforts without any serious injuries or deaths resulting. Since 2005, West Virginia has recovered five individuals without incident.
Considering Project Lifesaver's success, "I think it will be money well spent," he said.
Because this service is available in 42 states, families planning vacations, visits or moves may also be able to take advantage of service coverage in other areas.
For more information, call the Putnam County Sheriff's Department at 304-586-0256.
