Mar 21, 2009 10:30 pm US/Central
Bill Would Provide Equipment To Track Lost Persons
(WCCO)
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An antenna receiver picks up a signal from the person's bracelet. The receiver will chirp when it finds the bracelet signal and gets louder when it gets closer. The range is up to a mile. (File)
CBS
There's a push to get more law enforcement agencies equipment to help find vulnerable people when they get lost.
The state legislature is considering at a bill to make it easier for agencies to get Project Lifesaver or similar programs. Project Lifesaver is a radio tracking system that's used nationwide to find people with special needs.
Last summer, Keith Kennedy became lost in the woods near Grantsburg, Wisconsin. Kennedy has autism and had wandered away at a summer camp.
"Everyday that we woke up and he hadn't been found yet, was just more torture upon torture," said Keith's mother, Linda Kennedy.
Hundreds of searchers spent days combing the woods. Luckily, Keith was found, but he was extremely sick and weak.
"With a simple piece of technology he would've been found in an hour or two," said Bruce Kennedy, Keith's father.
The technology called Project Lifesaver and a similar program called SAFER are available in 10 Minnesota counties. The city of New Brighton also has Project Lifesaver. Keith Kennedy doesn't have access, though, since he lives in Shoreview, Minn. and Ramsey County doesn't have the program.
Olivia Leurer's family is luckier. Though they live in Mounds View, the 8-year-old goes to school in New Brighton, so she can use Project Lifesaver. Olivia also has autism. Her mother, Kimberly Leurer, says Olivia has no fear of fire, water, traffic, or strangers. Project Lifesaver gives them some added security.
"That is a big relief. It doesn't take away the responsibility as us as parents to take care of our child, but it does give us just a little bit more added reassurance," explained Leurer.
Olivia's younger brother Joseph has autism too, but he's not in school yet, so he can't have Project Lifesaver, which is frustrating for the family.
It costs $3,000 - $4,000 for a law enforcement agency to start Project Lifesaver, which is one of the reasons it's not widely used yet. The families also pay $30 a month for maintaining the bracelet and batteries.
Trainer Bob Parrott showed how it works. His antenna receiver picks up a signal from Olivia's bracelet. The receiver will chirp when it finds the bracelet signal and gets louder when it gets closer. The technology works up to a mile away from the target.
"It's the old bear-tracking gear that works virtually everywhere. It even works underwater, in buildings, places that GPS itself won't always work," said Parrott.
Olivia and her mom hid about a half a mile away. It took about 20 minutes to find them.
According to Project Lifesaver, there have been about 1,900 successful searches nationwide.
If the lifesaver bill passes, law enforcement agencies could apply for grants to get equipment and training. However, there's no funding set aside for the grants. Supporters of the bill hope to raise money if the system to distribute the grants is established.
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