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Project Lifesaver, tech that can track residents who wander, comes to Whitehall

The tracking device that can help law enforcement locate loved ones who wander because of a medical condition is now available in Whitehall thanks to grant funds, police announced Monday.Project Lifesaver, the search, rescue and tracking program developed by a nonprofit based in Florida, started making in-roads in the Lehigh Valley in 2015. Whitehall police Lt. Greg Bealer said the township has 10 kits for residents to use after receiving a $7,000 grant for the equipment.During Monday’s commissioner meeting, Bealer explained the technology and demonstrated how it worked. The grant funds also paid for the cost of training on the equipment, Bealer said. Whitehall has two officers trained.At-risk individuals are outfitted with a tracking bracelet that is turned on if they go missing, Bealer said. The bracelet has a radio transmitter inside and can send a frequency to the police department’s device to help track the missing person. Bealer emphasized that no one is tracked until a loved one calls police to report the missing person.It’s vitally important that people report missing persons right away, Bealer said. The transmission isn’t a very strong one and can only be detected about a mile and a half away. Since a walking person can cover about a quarter of a mile or more within an hour’s time, it’s essential that authorities have the chance to launch a search right away.Unlike GPS, the frequency for the Project Lifesaver bracelets can differentiate elevation. Bealer said this could be beneficial if police were tracking a person into a multi-story building, like a mall.“I was skeptical at first,” Bealer said of the tech. “But now I’m a convert.”Whitehall residents interested in bringing home a kit will need to provide authorities with medical proof of a loved one’s condition, such as Alzheimers or autism. Bealer said the department will advertise on social media meetings for the public to learn more, but anyone who wants to be contacted can reach out to the department to stay in the loop.Whitehall Commissioner President Dennis Hower praised the Project Lifesaver program as the rare kind of technology that can bring the greatest impact to a community.“This technology, we believe, can save lives,” Hower said. “We’re very fortunate to have this now.”Morning Call reporter Sarah M. Wojcik can be reached at 610-778-2283 or swojcik@mcall.com.
Source: Morningcall

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