Project Lifesaver issues first bracelet in Watauga to help area family
By Melanie Davis Marshall

The Jackson family of Boone became the first participants in Project Lifesaver Watauga County on March 18 at the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office.

Project Lifesaver is a statewide program affiliated with the N.C. Rescue Association. The Adult Services Coalition worked to bring Project Lifesaver to the county in late 2008.

The local program is coordinated through the coalition and Watauga County Sheriff’s Office.

Project Lifesaver is designed specifically for families living with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, down syndrome, autism and related disorders. Individuals with the above disabilities may be prone to wander or become confused and lost.

Participants in the Project Lifesaver wear a bracelet equipped with a small transmitter. It is not a GPS tracking device, the transmitter emits a signal comparable to an FM radio station.

WCSO is equipped with an antenna and mobile receiver that picks up the signal to help locate the participant.

The signal has a tracking range of up to one mile, though it can be affected by weather and terrain. According the N.C. Project Lifesaver Web site, average recovery times are less than 30 minutes.

Since completing the training in Watauga County in November 28, WCSO had not fitted a participant with a bracelet until last week.

David and Merlie Jackson, parents of Jessi Jackson, 17, have sought similar devices for several years for their daughter, according to Merlie.

“We heard Sunday that Project Lifesaver was in Watauga County and we immediately came to the sheriff’s office on Monday to sign up,” she said.

Jessi’s diagnosis is unclear, Merlie said. She experiences delays in motor skills and speech. Jessi uses a Vantage Augmentative Communication Device to express herself. Doctors continue to attempt to narrow down a diagnosis.

“She is completely fearless and very friendly,” Merlie said. The family opted for a Project Lifesaver bracelet as an insurance policy in case Jessi should wander away.

The local program is lead by Capt. Kelly Redmond of the sheriff’s office. “It is a small thing for piece of mind,” he said of the bracelet. “I hope more people take advantage of this [program].”

A committee of volunteers heads the Watauga Project Lifesavers. They coordinate volunteers, promote the program and organize fundraisers to pay for scholarships for the bracelets, which can also be worn on the ankle.

The initial cost is $275 for the bracelet with a monthly maintenance fee of $25 to change the battery. The committee was recently awarded a $1,000 grant from the Boone Service League to fund additional scholarship for eligible participants.

Currently, Medicare or Medicaid do not cover the costs and insurance companies would have to consulted by the policy holder.

Participants in the program must live in a private home in Watauga with a primary caregiver and have a history or the potential of wandering.

The N.C. Project Lifesavers equipment is compatible with other similar devices across the nation. If a participant is traveling and becomes disoriented or lost, contact local law enforcement to determine if they have a similar program in place.

For more information or to enroll in Project Lifesavers call Redmond at (828) 264-3761.