Crime & Safety

Clarkstown Police Find Wandering 74-year-old with Project Lifesaver Tracker

If this Nanuet resident hadn't been fitted with a tracking device, it might have taken a massive search to find her after she wandered away from her home Monday evening.

As it was, it took less than six minutes. 

Clarkstown police received a call about the missing 74-year-old Alzheimer’s patient at 7 p.m. June 3.

Three specially-trained officers responded. They located the woman in a wooded area nearby in less than 6 minutes.

Luckily, the resident had just been fitted for the tracking device just last week, police said. 

Related story: Body of Missing Somers Man Found

The officers are members of the department's Project Lifesaver team. 

Project Lifesaver is a public safety program designed to use technology in assisting those who care for individuals with cognitive disabilities such as Alzheimer's disease, Autism and Downs Syndrome who become missing due to wandering.

The Clarkstown Police Department put it in place last year. 

The Project Lifesaver program places personalized radio transmitters on identified persons who have a tendency to wander away for the safety of their homes, schools and day programs. Each transmitter emits a unique radio frequency tracking signal that assists local emergency agencies in locating the missing person.

When a participant of the program is reported missing, the Clarkstown Police Department dispatches a specially trained Project Lifesaver search and rescue team to respond with a mobile locator tracking system. This reduces search time, which can make a difference between a safe return and serious injury, police said.





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