Bringing Loved Ones Home

The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) has once again joined forces with Project Lifesaver to curtail missing person incidents in Rusk County. 

With Deputy Charles Bailey at the helm, RCSO revisited the community-based program and recognized its invaluable benefit to Rusk County residents prone to wandering, a potentially life-threatening behavior, especially for those with cognitive disorders. While this is not the Department’s first experience with the program it has been defunct in Rusk County through previous administrations. 

Recalling an incident from nearly a year ago in which a non-verbal autistic child was discovered wandering frighteningly close to traffic, Rusk County Sheriff John Wayne Valdez said, “If we had a tool like this at our disposal last year that situation could have been resolved in moments. One swipe of these armbands and we’d have known exactly who he was and where he lived.” 

Provided through Project Lifesaver, the smartwatch-style bands contain a state-of-the-art GPS tracking system that emits an individualized frequency signal. When caregivers of a Project Lifesaver client report them missing, specially-trained search and rescue teams consisting of local public service agencies will respond to the area with knowledge about how to best approach the client and ensure their safe and trauma-free return. 

With a tracking range of up to one mile and the combined efforts of the specially trained first responders, certified Project Lifesaver agencies have been able to reduce search times from hours, and even days, to minutes. 

“Recovery times for Project Lifesaver agencies average 30 minutes, which is 95% less time than standard operations without Project Lifesaver,” say program representatives on the 501(c)(3)’s website. “With the dramatic increase of cognitive conditions since the inception of the organization, the program has grown from a localized program to a program recognized internationally as a proven and effective method of ‘bringing loved ones home.’ 

As equipment arrives and training is completed, RCSO intends to reach out to families within the area that may have a loved one with a recognized tendency to wander and will eventually be offered publicly for any that wish to enroll.