A new life-saving initiative is now available across Elgin County, aimed at helping first responders quickly locate individuals who are prone to wandering due to cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, or autism.
Project Lifesaver officially launched with the support of the Elgin OPP, St. Thomas Police Service, Aylmer Police Service, Victim Services Elgin, the Alzheimer’s Society Southwest Partners and Inclusive Communities Consulting and Life Skills in Aylmer.
Derek Rogers – OPP Regional Media Relations Coordinator, explains how the technology works.
Each of the three local police services now has its own Project Lifesaver equipment on hand, and officers have been trained to respond to calls when someone enrolled in the program goes missing. And as Aylmer Police Chief Kyle Johnstone notes, it’s a lot easier to do when working together.
Victim Services Elgin will manage intake and client registration for the program, fielding inquiries and working with families to determine eligibility. Executive Director, Natalie Redman, shared that Project Lifesaver has already seen success in other parts of Ontario, and response in Elgin County has already been strong.
She explains how families or caregivers interested in enrolling a loved one in Project Lifesaver, can learn more.
The launch does follow nearly two years of planning, fundraising, and community outreach for the project. Local advocate William Barber, who supports youth and adults with intellectual disabilities through Inclusive Communities Consulting and Life Skills, played a key role in helping bring Project Lifesaver to Elgin County.
The program is funded entirely by each community who utilizes it, with close to $20,000 raised by Barber and his team to cover the cost of Project Lifesaver in Elgin County.
The Project Lifesaver program is already active in other OPP West Region detachment areas, included Essex, Huron, Lambton, Grey Bruce, Norfolk, Oxford, Perth and Wellington.
People wearing the Project Lifesaver transmitter are often found in under 30 minutes—and since the program launched with the OPP in 2005, there hasn’t been a single death among participants.
Families or caregivers interested in enrolling a loved one in Project Lifesaver can contact Victim Services Elgin at 519-631-3182 or by email at projectlifesaver@victimserviceselgin.com.
Written by K. Freeman
