On Jan. 25, 2020 at 3:08 a.m., it was reported to the Guelph Police Service that a 13-year-old male with autism was missing from his home. His mother last checked on him at 2 a.m., but at 3 a.m. she could not find.
The male is a part of Project Lifesaver Guelph Wellington. Numerous officers were sent to the area and Project Lifesaver equipment was utilized. Officers soon located a signal for the male using the equipment and were approaching his location. However, prior to police locating him, a citizen driving by observed the male at 4:22 a.m.
He was located wearing minimal to no clothing, however he was found to be unharmed and did not require medical attention. He was then returned home safely.
He was located outside of city limits approximately 6 km from his residence.
Project Lifesaver Guelph Wellington assists caregivers and responds to the challenges of keeping loved ones safe when they wander due to Alzheimer’s, Autism or other forms of cognitive impairment.
Participants wear a battery-operated bracelet that sends an FM radio signal 24 hours a day. It even works in areas such as buildings and forests.
Volunteers from Victim Services Wellington visit each client once a month to change the battery.
When a caregiver tells their local police service that a client has gone missing, trained police officers will use Project Lifesaver equipment to search for and locate the missing person:
• Time it takes to find missing people with Project Lifesaver average 30 minutes — 95 per cent less time than without
• Project Lifesaver has a 100 per cent find rate
Project Lifesaver does not replace the position of a caregiver, but it is a tool that can save lives and reduce stress felt by family members.
There is a startup fee to join the program as well as a monthly cost to maintain the equipment.
For additional information on Project Lifesaver, please contact Victim Services Wellington at (519) 824-1212 ext. 7205.
