Community Spotlight: Manatee County Search & Rescue Introduces Project Lifesaver for People with Cognitive Disorders

PARRISH – Manatee County Search & Rescue (MCSAR) is proud to introduce Project Lifesaver to Manatee County. Initial funding for the project was provided by Boar's Head Brand and employees who donated $22,000 in order to bring this service to Manatee County. This program is specifically designed for those individuals that have cognitive disorders such as Autism, Down Syndrome or Alzheimer's that bolt or hide when they are scared, stressed, or fixated on an idea or object as well as individuals that just tend to wander with no real goal in mind.

Citizens enrolled in Project Lifesaver wear a small personal transmitter around the wrist or ankle that emits an individualized tracking signal. If an enrolled client goes missing, the caregiver notifies 911 and MCSAR is deployed to the individual's area with specialized tracking equipment.

This is a proven international program with very positive results. Most who are lost are found within a few miles from home, and search times have been reduced from hours and days to minutes. Recovery times for PLI clients average 30 minutes — 95% less time than standard operations. If you are interested in enrolling a loved one into the program or just want more information please contact MCSAR at 941-254-6490 or you can inquire by email at ProjectLifesaver@ManateeCountySAR.org.