SHERIFF’S OFFICE RECOGNIZES NATIONAL ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH THROUGH PROJECT LIFESAVER
Monmouth County: Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden is acknowledging National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month during November and throughout the year by its dedication to locating individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, through the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office Project Lifesaver Program. The program uses radio signals to track people with Alzheimer’s disease and autism when they wander and become missing.
“Project Lifesaver is a lifesaving tool for families who have loved ones with a condition or illness that causes them to wander,” said Sheriff Shaun Golden. “It can benefit them greatly by the safety and security provided through participation in the Project Lifesaver program.”
There are currently 185 individuals on the program in Monmouth County, with 36 adults and 149 juveniles. Since 2021, more than 30 individuals have been located through the Project Lifesaver Program. Each one was conducted in under 15 minutes from 9-1-1 activation to the safe return home. Nationwide there have been 4383 rescues.
The Project Lifesaver Program is a critical tool when locating a missing participant. Each radio transmitter worn by an individual has a unique frequency. Should someone go missing, the sheriff’s office has ten receivers with which to track them. The range for the radio receiver is one mile on the ground, one quarter mile when roof mounted and five to seven miles in a helicopter.
The Project Lifesaver partnership between the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office and the Monmouth County Office on Aging began in 2003 and was then expanded in 2007 to include individuals with autism, with the Monmouth County Department of Human Services.
“Even though we recognize National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month throughout November, it’s vital to note that the law enforcement community is committed to acknowledging this disease year-round in an effort to maintain the safety of individuals and spare families a lot of grief when locating a loved one who goes missing,” said Sheriff Golden.
For more information on the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office Project Lifesaver Program visit:
https://www.mcsonj.org/community-outreach/project-lifesaver/.
